


Breathing Deep

by Moyasu



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-24
Updated: 2019-02-05
Packaged: 2019-07-01 17:45:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 29,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15778989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moyasu/pseuds/Moyasu
Summary: The story of the brave little Zora, Nephume, and her adventures with Link.Set in Hyrule several years after the events of BotW, this story DOES NOT ship Nephume and Link and covers the pair's many travels and escapades while trying to unravel the mystery of the Malice and the threat of Dark Link.





	1. A First Breath

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GreenSocksXIII](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenSocksXIII/gifts).



> I know that the Gerudo normally never let any male into Gerudo Town, but Riju seems very modern and more likely to make an exception to that rule given Link's valiant reputation and her personal experiences of his noble and respectful nature. That being said, I expect the guards would still watch him like a hawk.
> 
> We see no reaction for them women in the square as they are simply a side setting and would likely only glance in his direction. His clothes and youthful, feminine face (even at this age) combined with a quick glance would likely cause most if not all to assume he was a woman and thus not raise too much uproar.

A man trudged through the sand, his boots sinking in with each step. The heat was already sweltering, even in the early morning, and his blonde hair was plastered to his head with sweat. He was steadily moving toward a large wall shimmering somewhat nearby.

Eventually, he reached the structure, walking a short distance down its length until he came to a shrine, its shiny metallic surface covered in glowing blue runes. Once inside, he paused to catch his breath and pulled his shirt off. The inner sanctum of the building was pleasantly cool and he welcomed the sensation.

He rapidly changed clothes and left some of his gear in the corner, confident it would be undisturbed. He stepped back out into the heat of day, swathed in girly clothing in shades of green, light blue, and purple. Cloth hid the lower half of his face, and plenty of jewelry cemented the look. He walked lightly back down the wall to the entrance of the city before him. The guards, two tall and intimidating looking women, didn't so much as bat an eyelash at him.

He smirked to himself. They still couldn't tell a voe in girls' clothing from a vai. He walked through the large entryway to be met with the bustling bazaar of Gerudo Town. Even in this heat the streets were crowded with women of nearly all races jostling from shop to shop looking for all manner of knick knacks and items.

Directly next to the entrance he came from on either side were large fountains with water cascading into them from above. The top of Gerudo Town's walls were carved with a series of aqueducts, distributing water to the entire city. They were coated in intricate blue mosaic tiles, something that had taken ages to place. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something large and orange move in the water and turned to it.

His gasp of surprise caused a few women to look in his direction. There, sitting delicately in the fountain to his right, was an orange Zora girl. She was talking with the Gerudo Chief, Riju. Apparently, Riju was giving her food. The red haired youth sat on the edge of the fountain, crossing her long legs and chatting with the Zora as the latter ate her meal. Riju's bodyguard was a short distance away.

He strolled casually up to the fountain and stopped near the corner of it, focusing somewhere across the bazaar as he listened to their conversation.

"How are you doing?" Riju's voice reached him.

"I'm alright. I really do owe you a debt I can never repay. You saved my life, and you feed me too. I'm more grateful than words can say." He slyly looked over to the Zora girl. She had smooth orange skin with a white underbelly. She looked unusual for a Zora though, less like a shark and more like a goldfish, with flowing fins. Her arm fins were compressed against her arms and her big green eyes suddenly caught his gaze, making her pause in her conversation.

Riju automatically followed her gaze and caught sight of him, making him start back in surprise. He blinked at Riju and she blinked at him before a knowing look graced her face. She crossed her arms over her chest and beckoned him over. "Sneaky voe." He rolled his eyes as he sat down next to her. Her bodyguard recognized him immediately and narrowed her eyes, nodding at him. He responded in kind as Riju pulled the cloth away from his face.

His eyes widened and she chuckled. "The guards know your face by now. You are the one and only exception to our rule. You may as well change clothes now that you're here."

He changed his posture to be indignantly girly. "Maybe I like sneaking in." Riju raised an eyebrow and chuckled at him. She was now in her late teens, and he in his mid twenties. Many years had passed since they had first met, and she had blossomed into a beautiful young woman. "What brings you to our city, Link?"

He turned to her, smiling. "The Princess insisted that I check up on all the races as often as possible. She's afraid Ganon will return." Riju nodded. "As she should be. I'm afraid of that myself." The Zora intently watched them, curious at this newcomer named Link, the only man allowed in an all female town. Even married men were not allowed into the city and lived elsewhere with their wives. They were strictly prohibited within Gerudo Town's protective walls.

Link's attention turned toward her. "I'm a little shocked to see a Zora in the desert." At his comment both women launched into a joint explanation of how Nephume, that was her name, came to be in one of Gerudo Town's fountains. Nephume had gone down river of Zora's domain to fish and had been ambushed and captured by a Hylian man in a strong steel net. He intended to sell her to the highest bidder in an illegal underground auction. With her sufficiently restrained, he threw her over his horse and left for his destination. However, as he was passing by the entrance to Gerudo Canyon on his way north, monsters spooked his horse.

The animal galloped down the road to the canyon, ignoring his commands and swearing. As he was trying to reign in his steed, one of the Bokoblins on a horse shot him in the back with an arrow, killing him. Nephume grabbed desperately at the knife on his belt before his limp body fell from the horse. She had been sitting in front of him in the saddle, and managed to cut herself free. With monsters behind her and a canyon ahead, her only choice was to continue on.

The Bokoblins chased her until she encountered a stream of boulders across the road. The horse she had been riding was much taller than the monsters' horses, and soared over the rocks without hesitation, continuing its gallop as it landed on the other side. The monsters didn't follow. Nephume made her way to the stable down the road, and the people there let her bathe in a water trough after taking the horse. When they discovered she had no money they regretfully told her she couldn't stay and she made her way into the desert at twilight.

She spent the night in the oasis, but wanted badly to see the city. She had never been so far away from Zora's Domain, and this new and exciting place fascinated her. She left for the city in the distance in the early morning and by the time she reached the gates she was so dehydrated and warm that she nearly passed out in the guards' arms. They dragged her inside and, luckily, one of the women in the bazaar knew a thing or two about Zoras. They threw her into the fountain and she had been there ever since.

In fact, she had become somewhat of a novelty in town, and Riju had visited her as soon as she arrived. When she discovered Nephume had no money and heard her story, the Chief insisted on feeding her and making sure she was safe and happy, stating she had been through enough and deserved to be treated gently after her ordeal. Link listened intently to every word. When they were finished, he assumed a thoughtful position for a little while. "You know, I could take you back on my horse, if you'd like that is."

The Zora looked hesitantly up into his soft blue eyes. They held a strong sort of glint to them, but were also painted with a gentle sort of kindness that made her trust him. "Ok." He smiled, nodding in acknowledgement. "Alright then. We can leave tomorrow morning."

He and Riju chatted for several hours about the state of the Gerudo and what had occurred since they had last seen one another. They watched the bazaar with casual interest, sometimes joking about the women they saw at the stalls. The more she listened, the more Nephume liked Link. He was an adventurer, and seemed to live an action filled and interesting life.

After a while, a brown haired and light tanned Gerudo approached them. She nodded respectfully to Riju before sitting down and starting to chat with Nephume. The Zora had immediately recognized her new friend, Naril, and happily talked with her. She was a traveling merchant who worked with the local jewelry shop. She haucked her pretty accessories wherever possible, and had been in and out of Gerudo Town many times in the year that Nephume had spent there. She had even convinced her boss to replace the blue teardrop shaped gem that had been snapped off of the silver Zora necklace Nephume wore.

Naril was bold and opinionated, speaking her mind often, so it was no surprise to Nephume when she expressed her obvious opinion of this handsome man named Link. It was made very clear to Nephume early on that Link was special. He was the last of the Champions of Hyrule, and the hero who destroyed Calamity Ganon, as well as the appointed bodyguard of Princess Zelda and Captain of the Royal Guard. It was surprising to see him away from Hyrule Castle (especially now that it was fully restored to its former glory), but there was no one Zelda trusted more for the task of checking on all the races of Hyrule. Moreover, she knew he could reach all of them faster than any other knight in the kingdom.

Night came and went, and Nephume dozed in the fountain the whole time until a while before dawn. She was awoken by Riju, Naril, and Link. Riju wished her well and gave her a hug as she clambered out of the fountain. Nephume raised an eyebrow when she spotted Naril. The Gerudo had a large pack on her back and winked at her playfully. "Figured I might as well come with you to the end of the canyon. Got some new jewelry to sell anyway." Nephume knew this wasn't really the reason she was coming, but didn't protest. The trio set out as Riju waved at them from the gate. Link stopped at the shrine again to change clothes and gather his gear.

He came back dressed in tan trousers, brown boots, and a blue and white tunic. He also had a dark blue hood with a fairly detailed pattern on the back of it, where it draped down his back. The clothes suited him well, and fit him perfectly. As they traveled across the desert, dawn came just before they reached the entrance to the canyon. Naril vaulted up the rocky slope with little effort as Nephume picked her way up at a slower pace, avoiding the sharper rocks. Her delicate feet would never handle them, they barely handled the flat rocks here. They were rough and jagged, completely unlike the smooth waterworn stones of Zora's Domain.

Link cupped his hands to his mouth and gave a hearty whistle. The sound was met with a distant whinny and in a few moments a large brown and white horse came rushing around the corner and down the canyon straight at them. She reared right before she would have crashed into them and gave a strong neigh, causing Nephume to cower behind Link reflexively. The horse sniffed at Nephume with interest, her large, dark eyes filled with an almost human-like intelligence.

"This is Epona." Link patted the horse on the neck and she immediately began affectionately nibbling his long hair, which was now pulled back into a short ponytail. Nephume gazed up at Epona in awe. She was a tall horse, with a white mane and white legs. Her brown fur rippled with muscle and her thick body was made to carry far more weight than the little ponies most Hylians rode. She was originally a work horse, that was clear, but it was easy to see why she was now Link's war horse and trusted companion. She nuzzled Nephume with her black nose and the Zora giggled. She was fairly short for a Zora, shorter than Link actually despite being only a year or two younger than he in Zora years, so Epona was like a giant to her.

Link slid a foot into one of the stirrups of Epona's saddle and swung himself onto her back. He grabbed the reins and turned her to the side so Nephume could pull herself into the saddle too. However, she just stared up at him. Her harrowing ride to the desert was the first and only time she had ever been on a horse. She had no idea how to actually get on one. Link chuckled and closed his eyes for a minute. "Right. Put your foot here." he kicked the stirrup and Nephume placed her foot there. He pulled her up, having her swing her other leg over Epona's back until she was sitting in the saddle in front of him. "Not as difficult as it seems, is it?"

Nephume smiled at him over her shoulder and patted Epona's neck. She neighed in response and swung her head to look at the Zora. "Alright, let's go." Link nudged Epona into a trot, clicking his tongue as he did so. Naril jogged alongside them as they slowly made their way past the stable and through the canyon. Monsters were far less common now that Ganon had been wiped from the face of Hyrule, but they were still an ever present threat to any traveler regardless.

Upon reaching the end of Gerudo Canyon, where the Digdogg Suspension Bridge across the stone towers started, Link pulled Epona to a sudden halt. Naril and Nephume looked at him in confusion before their attention was grabbed by a gurgling growl. Ahead of them were two Bokoblins mounted on Hylian ponies. The dimwitted monsters hadn’t noticed the three of them yet. “Naril, you stay here. Nephume, stay low.”

Nephume nodded to him and leaned down over Epona’s neck, the soft white hairs brushing her chin. Link drew a blade from his back. It was shining steel with a dark blue hilt wrapped in leather in a criss crossing pattern. The crossguard was in the shape of a pair of wings and it had a yellow diamond shaped rain guard. Fairly low on the sword, near the rain guard, the blade widened and there it was imprinted with a symbol of three triangles, part of the Hylian Royal Crest.

Nephume’s eyes widened as she saw the impressive weapon held in the warrior’s hand. He looked like a fairy tale knight, come to save the day. Noting that he was left handed, she focused on the Bokoblins. One had turned around as Link urged Epona forward at a gallop. As the monsters began to charge him he gave a wild battle cry and slashed at the one to his left. He cleaved the monster’s head clean off, throwing its body off the pony at the same time.

The other Bokoblin held a spear, and stabbed Link with it. Nephume gasped, but the metal tip of the weapon simply glanced off of the impenetrable chainmail under Link’s tunic, leaving him completely unscathed. It did however fling him off Epona’s back as though the two were jousting. He did a mid-air flip, landing on his feet and pulling his shield from his back to defend himself from the barrage of spear hits the mounted monster launched at him.

Nephume fought her rising panic as she realized that she was on the horse by herself, and turned to look at the animal. She rounded, coming to a stop and looked back in turn from Nephume to Link. She tipped her head up at her side as though indicating. Nephume looked down, immediately trusting the intelligent gaze in Epona’s eyes. Strapped next to her left saddlebag was Link’s spare sword, the hilt and pommel sticking up within reach.

Nephume shakily picked up the blade. It was very heavy, and it took a bit of effort for her to lift it. She turned back to Link, still blocking hits with his shield. He was trying to attack, but the faster and larger range of movement of the pony made it difficult. She turned back to stare at Epona, who gave her a confident look. She had never trusted any look more than that one. She pulled on the reins, turning the horse and setting her sights on the Bokoblin circling Link.

Epona reared as Nephume snapped the reins, neighing loudly and calling attention to the two of them. She charged forward at a full and furious gallop, her powerful legs propelling them onward at an incredible rate as her hooves thundered against the ground. The sound rang in Nephume’s ears, or maybe it was her own racing heartbeat, she wasn’t sure. She held the sword out to her side as Epona charged onward. The Bokoblin had turned to face her, coming to a halt beside Link.

Link’s eyes widened when he realized that his horse had no intention of stopping and he immediately ducked. Epona jumped, soaring over his head as Nephume swung the sword with all her might. She hit the monster square in the chest, flinging it off the pony which started and ran, and leaving a large gaping gash in its chest. Foul black liquid oozed from the wound as the creature flailed and pitifully gurgled its last few breaths. Naril had cornered a pony at this point and had grabbed the makeshift bridle the Bokoblins had placed on it.

Nephume pulled Epona to a stop and turned the horse like she had watched Link do earlier. She slipped the blade she was holding back into the leather straps that had held it and slid shakily off the steed. Link walked calmly over to her, taking his sweet time. “Have you ever used a blade before?” The orange Zora shook her head. “N-no. Not ever.” Link’s eyebrows rose in response. “I’m impressed. You handled that blade like you’ve seen countless horseback skirmishes. You may be a natural with combat.”

Nephume was still shaking, and Link confirmed she was unhurt, but a few soft nuzzles from Epona was all it took to calm her down. Naril trotted up to them on the back of the newly captured pony. “I like this pony. Sturdy animal, strong legs, think I’ll keep it.” As if to confirm this, she had already loaded the contents of her pack into its makeshift saddlebags.

Link helped Nephume back up into the saddle before following her. The trio continued across the bridge where they came to a halt at the intersection. Link looked to the left for just a moment, his eyes narrowing before looking more intently to the right. “Is everything ok?” Nephume prompted and he nodded, giving a small grunt. The Zora frowned and looked over her shoulder at him. He looked down at her before sighing. “I had originally planned to visit the Rito next, but we’ll be heading to the Zora’s Domain instead.”

Nephume’s eyes widened. The Rito were a race of intelligent bird people (she had seen one in the bazaar once), who lived fairly far to the Northwest. “No, visit the Rito first!” She blurted the words out without even thinking. Link frowned. “I thought you wanted me to take you home?” Nephume looked away slightly. “I do, but…” Link lifted an eyebrow. “Go on.” Nephume glanced back at him. “I’ve never been all that far outside of Zora’s Domain until what happened. There’s so much I haven’t seen and so much I don’t know...I...please take me with you!”

Link inwardly groaned. The last thing he needed was a little Zora tagging along with him. Not to mention she likely had zero combat experience whatsoever...though she certainly had potential. Her big green eyes gazed at him pleadingly and he closed his own with a heavy sigh. “Fine, BUT you have to behave. Do EVERYTHING I tell you WHEN I tell you, understand? Hyrule isn’t as dangerous as it used to be, but it still isn’t safe by any means.”

The orange Zora nodded eagerly. “I will, I promise!” Naril gave a chuckle. It was that same innocent eagerness that had convinced Riju to help her in the first place. “I think I’ll head over toward Goron City. Those Goron ladies like my gemstones quite a bit.” Nephume smiled at her and Link gave her a nod. “This is where we part ways then.”


	2. A Breath Above the Clouds

Naril steered the pony to the right while Epona immediately went left with no prompt whatsoever. In fact, she followed the road all on her own. She knew exactly where she was going to the point where Link let the reins plop in Nephume’s lap and began digging in one of the saddlebags. He procured a bright red apple, rubbing it on his shirt and taking a bite. Nephume tilted her head slightly at his loud crunching.

As they continued, they passed by several giant, odd looking mushroom like plants. Nephume marveled at the sight, having never come across such things before. Some were almost as tall as one of the towers of Hyrule Castle and twice as wide across. The grass around them was lush and green and several animals were relaxing nearby, including a few birds hunting for insects.Their beautiful pink and white plumage made them stand out from the brilliant green of the hills, but they seemed completely at ease.

The Zora began to relax, letting out a sigh. The only sounds were birds and the wind, and sometimes the light gurgle of moving water. She let her mind wander and go blank, perhaps a little too much, as she ended up leaning back little by little until her back bumped into Link’s chest and she panicked, bolting upright. He gave a slight chuckle before speaking, “Starting to fall asleep on me now?” 

Nephume shook her head, embarrassed. “No, just not paying attention, that’s all!” She reached forward to pat Epona on the neck and left it at that. She heard Link chuckle again behind her.

The rest of their trip was quiet and uneventful for the most part. They did startle some birds, which flew away in a huff, scaring the living daylights out of Nephume for a moment. Link shook his head at that, wondering what in Hylia’s name had possessed him to bring such a jumpy little Zora with him all the way out there.

Link pulled Epona to a stop at the Tabantha Bridge Stable, getting down to stretch his legs. Nephume followed suit, her stomach growling a little. Link greeted the stablehands, asking them how the area had been recently before making his way over to the cookpot. Epona followed him so he could pull some ingredients out of her saddlebags. After a little while a delicious smell wafted from the pot, drawing Nephume over to it. 

As she drooled over the sight and smell of the food, Link offered her a bowl. He had made some kind of soup which the Zora happily gulped down. 

When they had finished, they continued on their way, crossing the Tabantha Great Bridge and making their way through the canyon. As they left the craggy walls behind, Nephume looked to the left and let out a gasp. Stretching high into the sky before them was a giant pillar of rock set on an island in the middle of a big lake, with a few gaps in the middle of its surface and a large overhang on one side. 

“That’s the Rito Village,” Link’s voice made her jump. She grinned at the sight and turned forward again, excited. They crossed a small, and admittedly rickety, bridge just past an abandoned monster camp and passed through another small canyon before the pillar came into view again. It was much closer now and directly in front of them, with a stable just down the hill from their current location.

Nephume gave a shiver, just realizing that the air had gotten colder the farther they had traveled. She could see her breath and as she twisted to look at Link she saw that his face was pink from the nippy air. 

The Zora’s Domain was in the Lanayru province, which wasn’t exactly tropical, but it was much warmer than Tabantha and Hebra to say the least. She rubbed her arms and tried to keep from shivering too much. Zoras were highly temperature sensitive, as well as having a life threatening weakness to electricity of any kind. It was no surprise given their skin, which was rough and tough where it was colored but thin and fragile where it turned white.

She started and craned her head back to look at Link again as he dropped a blanket across her shoulders. It was folded up to keep it from dragging down Epona’s sides, and was a deep, faded green color. Grateful, she pulled it around herself and snuggled in, marveling at how soft it was. On one corner was the Royal Crest of Hyrule embroidered in gold thread, a symbol of the princess, Zelda. Link gave a grunt and patted her shoulder to remind her that she wasn’t on this trip alone and should expect him to help her when she needed it.

Epona came to a stop at the stable just below them. It was already somewhat dark and the first few stars were sparkling above despite the slight orange glow on one end of the horizon. Link patted the horse and slid down, helping Nephume to the ground. He stopped to talk to the stable hands before turning back to her. “Should we stay here for the night or walk up to the Village?” He jerked his head in the location’s direction as he spoke.

The Zora tilted her head, deciding. “Let’s try heading to the Village!” Her voice held obvious excitement as she grabbed his arm and dragged him toward the bridges leading up to the structure. “Ok, ok! Don’t pull my arm off, I’m coming!” She kept running ahead, peeking in the small ponds and looking over the edges of the islands as Link climbed at a slower pace.

The cooler night breeze blew gently through his hair and made Nephume’s fins flare out around her face. A few fireflies floated lazily about and an owl hooted in the distance as crickets chirped on the ground. Link let out a sigh, taking it all in as his boots echoed quietly on the planks of the final wooden bridge to the Village.

He and Nephume greeted the guard as they ascended the stairs, lighted by the gentle glow of the torches nearby. The Zora couldn’t help but gaze at everything with a wide-eyed stare. It was all new and exciting, and these were the first Rito she had seen up close. She was impressed at the detailed woodwork around them, giving a tiny squeak as Link grabbed her arm to stop her from walking past the Inn. It had blue banners with crescent moons in the middle and a few light curtains for privacy.

Link paid for their stay and he and Nephume took the two empty beds closest to the door. It took her a while because of her excitement, but the Zora was eventually lulled into sleep by the quiet sounds surrounding them.

She woke drowsily with a start, flailing as she was shaken back and forth. “Huh?” Link had shaken her awake, sitting gently on the edge of her bed. “Wake up. You wanted to see the Rito Village, remember? Don’t sleep through the entire visit.” He finished with a chuckle as she rubbed her eyes. When she looked up at him, he could still see the gentle fuzziness of sleep in the green orbs. Her eyelids flickered and he shook her again, forcing her to open her eyes wide, blinking rapidly. “I-I’m awake!”

“Good! Then let’s get up and have some breakfast.” His voice was laced with amusement as he stood and walked away. He was loading a few small things back into his pack when Nephume finally got up. She stretched, yawning loudly before stumbling in his direction. Her stomach growled immediately.

Before Link could comment, she shivered, feeling the obvious change in temperature between the outside air and her warm bed. “We should probably find you some warm clothes while we’re here.”

Nephume looked down at herself. She was dressed almost like any other Zora, bearing a silver necklace, though that was all she was wearing. Her more flamboyant accessories had been left home the day she had been kidnapped. Zoras didn’t really wear clothing anyway. It was heavy and waterlogged when swimming, and covered one’s gills which made breathing difficult. It also covered the fins, which made swimming more of a chore.

“Oh...ok.” She looked back up at Link expectantly, waiting for him to finish gathering his things. He slung his pack over his shoulder and nodded to the Innkeeper as they left. He ambled across the wooden planks of the village walkways, heading higher up. After just a few short steps, he came to a stop in front of a shop with short sleeved shirts on it’s banners. 

“This is the Brazen Beak, the Rito Clothing Shop.” He beckoned Nephume forward as he entered, greeting Nekk the shopkeeper. “Think you have anything she could wear?” Nekk eyed the Zora carefully, a thoughtful expression on his face. “Well, I do have some insulated cloth that’s water resistant. New experiment. Been wanting to test it out. Now’s as good a time as any, if you don’t mind that is.” He looked back at Link as he spoke. 

His tone irritated Nephume. He was speaking as though she weren’t there, or was simply an object. “Well, we might as well go ahead and try. Couldn’t really hurt.” Nephume snorted as the Rito approached her with a tape measure. He took several measurements before she stopped him. “You can’t make me a shirt that long.” He gave her a questioning look and she rolled her eyes and pointed at her gills. “I’ll suffocate.”

Her voice conveyed her irritation clearly, and the Rito leaned back, one eyebrow raised. He put a hand to his beak in thought, eyeing the Zora up and down once more and reassessing the situation. He walked around her and took a few more measurements before getting to work. “Come back a little later and we’ll see how it fits.”

Link ushered Nephume onward, taking them up another platform. They came to a walkway that led to a cobbled room which contained a communal cookpot that anyone could use. He began preparing ingredients while Nephume leaned against the railing, looking out at the view. Her gaze was met with snow capped mountains, craggy hills, and dark green grass dotted with conifer trees. The crisp air stung a little, but was oddly refreshing.

She jumped as Link nudged her back. He was holding a cup of water out to her. “Don’t get dehydrated. I know Zoras need a high daily water intake.” She blinked at him in surprise as she took the cup. “That’s true. Thank you.” She looked down at the crystal clear water and took a gulp. It was cold enough to slightly sting her throat, but tasted clean and pure. “I’ve never tasted water like this...it’s so…” She trailed off, trying to find the words.

“Sweet?” Link offered, a smirk on his face. She narrowed her eyes at him. “That’s close enough, I guess. I like it. I like everything here. It’s so beautiful and quiet. I can’t imagine anyone not wanting to stay here.” Link gave a small snort, a smile gracing his lips. “Yeah, it’s peaceful here now that Calamity Ganon is gone.” His face gained a slightly pained expression for a few seconds.

“Is something bothering you?” Link shook his head at her gentle tone. “No. I was just...remembering. It’s nothing.” She wanted to ask him more, and probably would have if she hadn’t stopped to think about it. His demeanor had changed somewhat, and after studying him for a moment she decided that it was best left alone.

After a few more minutes, he offered her a plate of eggs, meat, and some fried greens. They ate mostly in somewhat awkward silence, and when they were finished Link tilted his head, indicating she should follow him. They made their way back down to the Brazen Beak, approaching Nekk again. He had Nephume raise her arms above her head and placed the garment on her, making sure the fit was snug but not too tight. 

It was a short shirt that fit sort of like a breastplate on a suit of armor. It had no sleeves and was a deep blue color edged in light gray. It came down to just above her gills and was fairly warm. On the left side of her chest it had a Zora’s crest, made of shiny silver metal with a small blue gem set in the middle.

Her eyes lit up immediately. “Oh, it’s beautiful!” She held her arms out, turning and examining the new item. “It fits well,” Link observed. Nephume nodded, looking it over once more. “It’s warm too, but…” She rubbed her knees before continuing. “My legs are still cold.” Link frowned, looking to Nekk. He shrugged. “I doubt she could swim as well if we covered those fins.”

He was referring to the large fins that went across her hips and rump. They were indeed necessary for swimming, though not vitally so. Regardless, the fins were large and flowing, like the rest on her body, and would make wearing pants awkward and difficult.

Link turned his attention to the table where Nekk had cut the fabric. Several scraps of it remained, and he had an idea. “I think I can help…” He picked up some of the fabric and had Nephume sit on a stool. “Here, wrap this around your leg.” He dropped the scrap fabric in her hand before rummaging around the table. He returned with a few small straps used to hold clothing on the shop’s mannequins.

The Zora frowned at him as he knelt down next to her. “Here, hold the fabric tight.” He wrapped the strap around her thigh, tightening it. It wasn’t quite tight enough, but Nekk used heavy thread to sew the fabric to the strap. He got the idea quickly and sewed the scrap together all the way to her foot, there it was tied in a knot. They repeated the process and the result was a pair of leg wraps made of warm, water resistant fabric.

The wraps left Nephume’s toes uncovered, as they were webbed and the big ones had large yellow claws on them. She straightened her legs, rocking her feet back and forth as she examined them. She got up, then crouched and jumped. Satisfied with her range of movement, she smiled at the two. “They’re perfect.”

“If you don’t mind,” Link pointed to a small room within the room they were in. “I’d like to change clothes.” Nekk nodded and Link pulled the curtain across behind him. When he returned a few minutes later, he was wearing entirely different clothing. His blue tunic had been switched for a dark brown one with leather armor over the chest, which was then partially covered with a piece of cloth. It flared at the bottom in the back to resemble feathers. A red cloth was wrapped around his waist, over tan trousers with colorful patterns at the knees, while a belt was wrapped over that. He wore heavy boots, lined with fur and feathers, and gloves with leather bracers to match. Three feathers adorned a wrap around earring on his left side. It had a golden Rito emblem set with a ruby on it. The pieces of his hair next to his face were wrapped tightly and tucked into decorative arrowheads that were a Rito substitute for braids. While it made him look a little shorter and chunkier, it was warm, and still looked good on him.

He paid Nekk for his hard work and the two continued to climb ever higher until they reached the final room of the village. There, a large and elderly Rito who resembled an owl rested in a rocking chair. He was in the middle of a conversation with a female Rito. She was purple, with a short beak and a bright crest of feathers. “My boy is always up there on that, that beast! Head in the clouds, every day! No matter what I say, he won’t come down until sunset! You’ve got to stop him! It isn’t safe, and only a Champion should be on the back of a Divine Beast!”

Nephume tilted her head at the last sentence. “What’s this about the Divine Beast now?” Link spoke up, entering the room, hands resting on his waist. Nephume trailed after him, curious. The Rito leader greeted him cheerfully. “Oh, good to see you again, Champion Descendant! This Rito here, her son seems to be interested in Vah Medoh. His name is Domiru. Perhaps you can talk to him?”

Link rolled his eyes and sighed. “I’ve told you a hundred times, Kaneli, I’m not a descendant. I really AM the same Champion of Hyrule from 100 years ago. I was injured and fell into a long, healing sleep. But, I’ll talk to Domiru and see what I can do.”

Kaneli chuckled at him. “Yes, yes. A long sleep, you really are the same Champion. Absolutely.” He winked at Link and the Hylian shook his head, running his hand down his face. He waved at the Rito in irritation and turned away, heading back down the platforms and leaving Nephume to trail behind him.

“Vah Medoh is the Rito Divine Beast?” She asked, slightly out of breath from having to keep up with his quick pace. He slowed somewhat and looked back at her. “Yes, a Divine Beast of the wind.” Nephume looked around. “Where exactly...is it?” Link had come to a stop on a large landing platform. “Up there.” He smirked and pointed up as a large shadow slowly fell over them. Nephume looked up, eyes wide.

Circling above them was a giant stone and metal bird. Huge propellers set in its wings kept it aloft as it slowly made its way through the skies. Link chuckled as he tapped the Zora’s chin, causing her to snap her previously agape mouth shut. “We have to go up there?!” 

The Hylian nodded, putting an arm around her. “Don’t worry, we’ll take the shortcut.” He pulled her closer and pushed a button on his Sheikah Slate. Before she could ask, they both disappeared in shining blue strands of light. It was only a few seconds, but it was a terrifying experience for the Zora. She was suddenly on a blue, glowing platform, gasping and clutching her chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At this point Link has gotten mildly fed up with being called a Champion Descendant after Zelda poked fun at him for it.
> 
> Nephume is obviously awed by a great many things this chapter and though this story might start out slow it will gradually pick up speed as I write each chapter. I do hope you'll stick around till the end. ^^


	3. The Air of a New Champion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You might be surprised to know that some of the main characters I created for this story are based on me and real world friends of mine.
> 
> Nephume is me, Naril is based on GreensocksXIII, and Domiru is based on JoshJenrayAK47 over on FF.net (go check out their stuff). Likewise, three other characters we will meet later in the story are also based on close friends.

Link was shaking his arms, wiggling his fingers as though he had lost feeling in them. “WHAT WAS THAT?!!!” Nephume screeched at him, eyes wide. “Ancient Sheikah technology. Teleportation. You’ll get used to it...actually no, you probably won’t since you’ll be home once we’re done here.” He helped her to her feet as she continued to hold her chest. “It’s hard to breathe.” She shivered lightly as she finished.

“The air up here is thinner. Come on, let’s see if we can find that Rito.”

Nephume trudged after him, not used to the high altitude. Link gave a small gasp as they entered the inner workings of Vah Medoh. Where there had once been a series of platform challenges intended for the hero (in other words, himself), there was now a flat, cross shaped pathway. The complete inner workings of the Divine Beast had changed entirely.

A series of clanking sounds could be heard from somewhere, and Nephume looked around curiously, trying to find their source. Scattered bits and pieces of the Beast’s gears and parts could be found everywhere and several of the metal plate walls had been removed.

They slowly made their way down a hallway toward the Beast’s head, entirely absorbed in looking at all the changes that had occurred. “Can I help you with something?” A semi deep voice made Nephume jump and as she turned she flailed backward with a loud and somewhat grating Zora squeak. A tall, thin Rito was hanging upside down out of a hole in the ceiling, staring at her. He gave a squawk of surprise at her reaction after realizing she was not a Rito.

Link came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder to steady her. “Might you be Domiru?” The Rito swung down out of the gap in Vah Medoh’s armor, landing lightly in front of them. His feathers were a deep blue edged in a lighter shade. They stuck up at the back of his head and to the side of his face, and his beak was sharply curved like a hawk. Bright yellow feathers took up the space just above his red eyes while white and black markings occupied the space below. Rito arrowhead wraps hung from the back of his head over his shoulders. He was wearing typical Rito clothing with a silver chestplate of armor with the Rito emblem embossed on it.

“And you would be?” He looked expectantly from Link to Nephume and back again. “The Hylian Champion, Link, and this is Nephume. Kaneli sent us. Seems your mother is worried about you.” Domiru’s eyes widened in surprise before narrowing. “Wait...shouldn’t you be dead?” Link gave a small snort. “Shouldn’t Ganon have been destroying Hyrule right about now?” Domiru blinked before tilting his head. “Fair point.”

Link looked up at the gaping hole in the ceiling that the Rito had come out of. “I’m not sure Vah Medoh appreciates being ripped apart. Besides, Divine Beasts are sacred machines meant only for Champions to command.” Domiru blinked at him. “I’m just doing what he asked me to.” Link’s brow furrowed. “He? He who?”

Domiru rolled his eyes. “Vah Medoh. Who else? Besides,” he jumped back into the ceiling as he spoke, “fascinating thing this Divine Beast. I’ve already managed to rewire it so that the power drain is about 30% better than it used to be. Now he doesn’t need to land as often, and I optimized the propeller output so flying is easier for him. He seemed happy about it.”

“Wait,” Link stopped him before he could say more. “You can hear the Divine Beast?” As if in response, Vah Medoh gave a deep call. “You can’t?” Domiru looked at them upside down again. “I thought everyone could...huh.” The sound of clanking and parts moving echoed down the hallway as he began tinkering again. “Would you mind stopping for a bit so we can talk?” Domiru appeared again and paused, his eyes looking around as if listening to something. “Vah Medoh says I can, so yes.”

Link led them outside and up onto the Beast’s back where his main control unit was. The space around them was dotted with columns and small propellers that caused updrafts for gliding. The ground was covered in grass and moss in places and the view was unparalleled. “At least tell me you’ll leave this part alone?” Domiru stopped to listen once again. “Vah Medoh says he’ll keep it this way, just for you.”

Link rolled his eyes, a small exasperated smirk on his face. “Yeah, I’m starting to see why Revali was the previous Champion.” He placed his hand lightly on the activator pedestal for the control unit, the cool stone smooth under his gloves. “Being able to hear a Divine Beast is no small feat...do you realize what that means?” Domiru tilted his head in confusion. “Nnnooooooo?” His voice reached a higher pitch at the end.

Link turned, his face serious. “It means you’ve been chosen as the new Champion. You need to be careful, and be alert. Vah Medoh could call on you at any time to command it in battle should the need arise.” Domiru jumped back. “Wait, wait, wait...I’m a Champion now?!” Link nodded. “You are.” Vah Medoh gave another call to confirm it was true.

“But I...I don’t really have a lot of combat experience beyond a bow...I guess I need to start visiting the Flight Range more often...and maybe I should take breaks more too…” He frowned. It was obvious the thought of worrying his family had upset him, and he was suddenly taking this new responsibility into consideration.

“That would be a good idea, and I’m sure Teba can teach you plenty. He’s an excellent warrior. I’m glad you’re taking this seriously, because being a Champion is a lot to handle, even without a Divine Beast.” Link had walked back toward them now. “We’ll head back down and tell Kaneli what’s happened. And I’ll tell Teba to be aware that you might ask him for some combat training.” Domiru nodded. “Thank you.”

Link beckoned Nephume to him and they teleported back down to the village. The change in temperature and air pressure was still hard on the Zora, and it took her a few moments to readjust. When she was ready to move again, she followed Link back up to Kaneli’s room and waited patiently while Link updated him on the situation. His hoot of surprise was expected and his face lit up with pride. “A new Champion...wonderful! We will celebrate this!”

Link nodded. “We’ll be heading to the Flight Range to talk to Teba. Send word there if you need us.” With that he walked back down the Village stairs and across the islands back to the stable with Nephume trailing behind him. He waited for her to pull herself onto Epona’s back before they were off and riding again. In only a few minutes they were moving through snow, the crunch of it under the steed’s hooves echoing around them.

The sound startled a Great-Horned Rhinoceros, the large wooly animal snorting and charging away into the brush. Nephume gave a gasp, craning her neck and stretching to watch it as it went. She had never seen such an animal, and found it curious and impressive to say the least.

They slowly followed the road, coming to a large, round pit with several rock spires rising from it. They were covered in glowing targets, as were the pit’s walls, and strong updrafts ruffled Epona’s mane, even from a distance. A small Rito hut was stationed on stilts at its edge with a ladder leading up to it. Upon climbing the ladder, the pair was met with the proud figure of Teba, sitting near a blazing fire with a cookpot. With his spiky white plumage fluffed against the cold, he was giving advice to a younger white and gray Rito, his son Tulin.

He greeted Link with a nod, and the Hylian immediately caught Tulin’s attention. “Link!” He came running up, excited. “Are you here to train with a bow? But your skills are already amazing!” Link gave a small chuckle. “Actually, I’m here to speak with Teba.” He turned his attention to the older Rito, who had immediately looked up upon hearing his name.

“There’s a Rito you likely know, Domiru.” A knowing expression crossed the bird’s face. “Mph. Domiru the Tinker. What about him?” Link took a deep breath, choosing his words carefully before continuing. “He’ll likely be coming here to train more often. He’s Vah Medoh’s new Champion, and I told him you were the one to see for combat advice.”

Teba raised his eyebrows. “HIM?! Vah Medoh chose HIM?! You’ve got to be kidding me! Why chose the Tinker of all people?! There are plenty of Rito who are better combat suited than he.” Link rolled his tongue against the inside of his cheek. “I suspect it’s because he’s a tinkerer. He had Vah Medoh all pulled apart and changed on the inside. Told me Vah Medoh asked him to.”

As he was speaking, Nephume had wandered over to the other side of the room and had picked up the bow leaning against the handrail. She had caught Tulin’s attention the second she had moved. “F-F...Fish! A walking fish!” Nephume jumped. “I’m not a fish! I’m a Zora!” She huffed indignantly and turned away, running her fingers across the bow and drawing it, improperly.

Tulin had jumped at her outburst, but had cautiously approached her. Though younger than she, he was still considerably taller and would have been intimidating if Nephume weren’t used to people being taller than her. “Stop, hold it like this.” He began to gently adjust her position until she was holding the bow correctly. “Try putting it down and redrawing it. Try to match this same pose as closely as possible.” She complied, managing to get it right again after a few tries.

Link and Teba chatted quietly, watching as Tulin taught Nephume all about how to use a bow. He set up a small target at the back of the hut and gave her a dummy arrow tipped with a bundle of cloth for practice. “Ok, now try to aim just above where you want the arrow to hit.”

Link leaned toward Teba and quietly commented, “He’s vastly improved since I was last here.” Teba nodded. “He’s far more accurate now, and he’s really started taking a shine to aerial combat. I couldn’t be prouder.”

Nephume let the dummy arrow fly, striking the middle ring of the target. “Not bad for a first try.” Tulin retrieved the arrow and handed it back to her. “Give it another go.” She fired several more shots, striking the middle of the target only twice. If she had been using real arrows they would have damaged the enemy regardless, but her aim needed some work.

Link was in no hurry, so he let Nephume practice for as long as she wanted and Teba was fine with Tulin teaching her because it told him which areas his son still needed improvement with. By the time she was tired, Tulin had upgraded her to real arrows under the agreement that she was not to get distracted while she had the bow drawn.

She took to archery fairly well, but got tired quickly because the bow she had been given was a little too far above her weight class so to speak. It was designed for a Rito warrior, and as was common knowledge, the Rito had extremely strong arms. That wasn’t to say Zoras didn’t either, as they used their arms for swimming, but most Rito were taller than Nephume and had more muscle mass as a whole.

Halfway through her training, Teba switched out her bow for a lighter one, which both improved her accuracy and her stamina. It also gave her more power as she was now capable of fully drawing the bow.

Link’s brow furrowed as he realized that Nephume’s posture had changed the minute she had begun practicing. Her back was straight and her head was held high with confidence. Even though she wasn’t as experienced or capable as he was, it would be fairly easy for her to hit a target and defend herself. The question now was if she could hit a moving target.

He sucked in a breath of cold mountain air and suddenly flopped backward, arms spread out to his sides. He stared up at the roof for a while, fully aware that all attention was on him before stretching loudly and pulling himself upright again. Once he was on his feet, he brandished his shield. “Ok, let’s see if you can hit me.”

Nephume’s eyes widened. “What?!”

Link rolled his eyes. “Shoot me, dummy!”

The Zora frowned at him. “No!”

“Yes!”

“No! Link, I’m not going to shoot you with arrows! What if I actually hit you?!”

Link almost burst out laughing, but managed to just barely hold it back to a snicker. “Seriously? You? You think you can hit me? Please. Besides,” he rapped his knuckles against the front of his shield. “That’s what this is for.”

The shield was of Hylian make, crafted out of silver metal painted blue. It had a red royal crest on it with the glimmering yellow triforce at the top. It’s edge plates shone silver, and were held in place with large rivets. It’s defensive capability remained unmatched, by any race’s craftsmen, even other Hylian shield makers. It was held securely to his arm by a large leather strap, with his hand wrapped tightly around a metal handle.

Though she still looked unsure, she fired an arrow at him regardless...and missed completely. Link had dodged out of the way long before the arrow would have reached him. It embedded itself in the railing some length away. He rapped his knuckles on the shield again. “Well that was disappointing. Actually try this time.”

Irritated, Nephume fired another arrow. After twenty arrows were stuck in the railing she could barely keep her temper. “No enemy is just going to stand still and take an arrow to the face.” The Zora huffed in response. “I know that!” She snapped at him, drawing her bow again. She paused, almost wanting to just quit. She couldn’t figure out how to hit him. She couldn’t draw fast enough to do so and she didn’t have enough power to make the arrow move any faster.

Her eyes widened when she realized that he dodged every arrow. If she could draw fast enough, she could fire one arrow and force him to dodge and then fire a second one at him when he landed. She let the bow slacken and plucked a second arrow from the quiver Tulin had put on her back. Link narrowed his eyes, suspicious.

Nephume fired the first arrow and Link dodged to one side just as she had predicted. She quickly knocked and fired the second arrow, catching him off guard. His eyes widened as he thrust his shield outward, flinging the arrow away with a klang. “Whoa!”

He smirked, straightening up. “So you finally figured it out, huh? Took you long enough.” Nephume’s eyes widened and she curled her fingers into fists, her arms straight to her sides. She took a deep breath in preparation to yell at him but let it out in a surprised huff a second later when he patted her head gently. “You picked that up quick. Did you ever use a bow for hunting fish back home?”

“Um...Sidon showed me once or twice but...I preferred fishing without one. Zora bows are smaller than the ones used for combat here, so I couldn’t really pick it up and just fire right away.” Link’s eyes widened momentarily at the mention of the Zora prince. He smiled at her and she put her hands on her hips and glared at him. She turned to Tulin and nodded at him. “Thank you for teaching me.”

The Rito’s feathers fluffed and he scratched the back of his head while looking away. “Yeah...no problem.” Teba stood, ruffling his feathers before letting them lie flat. “He’s not wrong. You picked that up quicker than most Rito. I’m somewhat impressed.” One of the Zora’s eyes twitched at the word ‘somewhat’, but she decided to let it go. “Thank you.”

Link rolled his right shoulder, letting out a grunt as it popped. He hadn’t put in that much combat effort in a while, in fact he was starting to worry he was getting rusty. He trained with the new knights of Hyrule every day he could, but he felt like he needed more than the standard routine they always went through.

He stretched and began climbing back down the ladder. They had spent most of the day training Nephume with a bow and the sun was now beginning to set once again. “Alright, let’s head back into the Village.” Nephume looked down at him from the platform. “What’s the rush?” He looked back up at her, about to answer when his stomach growled loudly. The only thing they had eaten was the small amount of food Teba had shared with them earlier. “Does that answer your question?”

Nephume descended with a huff. “I’m not hungry.” Link raised an eyebrow as her stomach contradicted her as soon as she stopped speaking. “Really? I find that hard to believe.” He spoke in the most nonchalant tone he could muster. The Zora’s face turned pink as she hopped on Epona’s back and proceeded not to look in his direction. He shook his head, pulling himself into the saddle and urging the horse forward into a canter.

They enjoyed another pleasant meal back at the Rito Village with some of the villagers and Nephume took some time to sit at the edge of one of the platforms and take in the rapidly approaching twilight.

She was lit with the gentle golden glow of the village lamps and a soft breeze made her fins flare around her. She looked up, over her shoulder as Link approached and sat down next to her with a soft grunt.

“You know, I think I could just stay here forever.”

Link gave her a side glance and smirked. “I can see you enjoy it here. If I’m right about you, though, you’d get bored soon enough.”

The Zora eyed him curiously. “Why is that?” He smiled, turning his blue eyed gaze fully on her. “Because if I’m right about you then you’re like me. You can’t stand to sit around and do nothing for too long.”

She tilted her head, thinking. In truth he was right. As far as she could remember she had always gotten into trouble because she was bored and looking for something to do.

“So when are we going to leave?”

Link looked back out at the dusky landscape. “Tomorrow morning, I think.”


	4. A Breath of Home

When morning came the two walked down to the stable to get Epona.

Link bought supplies and food before they left and loaded them into the horse’s saddlebags. They followed a different path than before, though it went in almost the same direction initially.

After a good while, it began to snow, and Nephume began to shiver even with her new clothes. Link wrapped the blanket around her again and she pulled it up over her head to keep the wind at bay.

She turned to look at Link, wondering if he had donned a blanket too, but he was riding in the same Rito clothes he had been wearing before. His face was red from the cold air, but he seemed perfectly fine otherwise.

About halfway through the day they passed a stable but didn’t bother stopping. Link assured her that there was another stable farther down the road.

It was almost dark when they stopped, but Nephume was wide awake. Since they were so close to the castle, they only stopped for a short time and pushed onward.

As they rounded a few hills, the castle came into view. It was magnificent in its newly repaired glory. The surrounding area was occupied by New Hyrule Castletown, which surrounded the castle like an extra wall.

The castle itself was nearly black against the quickly darkening sky, but a few lights shone from the windows. They traveled slowly through the gates to the town, having been let in by the guards, and then made their way around the central fountain to the gates of the castle.

They were again stopped by a guard, but when he realized it was Link they were welcomed warmly and allowed to travel the winding path up to the castle courtyard.

Nephume was gazing around with wide eyes the whole time, still wrapped in the blanket. She had never seen the castle up close before and it was much more massive than it looked.

She accompanied Link when he entered through the castle’s main entrance, looking around at the lavish decor.

She wasn’t paying attention, and when she looked up she found herself about to walk into one of the castle knights. Startled, she froze, looking up at him. He was even taller than Link and very intimidating.

He blinked down at her, his eyes barely visible beneath his helmet. Without warning he reached out and lifted her beneath her arms. She squeaked in surprise and Link turned around to look at them.

The knight turned to the right and then to the left before placing her down so that she was out of his path. He continued forward without a word, leaving the Zora blinking in confusion.

“What did you do?”

Nephume turned to Link, irritation pricking at her nerves. “Nothing! I just looked up and he was there!”

Link narrowed his eyes before shaking his head. “I still have to meet with Zelda, so just keep out of trouble, ok?”

Link led them to the grandiose castle library, where the princess was carefully looking at a map laid out before her on a table in the center of the room. She greeted Link as he entered, completely oblivious of the Zora lingering behind him.

“Link, you’ve returned, good.” She seemed nervous and stressed out. “How were the Gerudo?”

Link bowed to her in a sweeping motion. “Vah Naboris is lounging comfortably in the desert and all is well. Vah Medoh on the other hand is a different story.”

Nephume had casually wandered up to one of the shelves. A fairly large book, entitled Races and Beasts of the Land of Hyrule, caught her attention. It appeared to be very old, and when she pulled it from the shelf she discovered it was very heavy. She plopped it down on the nearest table and began to flip through the pages.

“Vah Medoh?! What happened?”

Link smiled slightly. “Don’t worry. This is GOOD news. The Rito have a new Champion. His name is Domiru and he’s very smart.”

While Link and Zelda talked, Nephume scanned the pages of her book, in the section Races of Hyrule. She came to an odd entry that contained a picture of a creature she had never seen. It said ‘Anooki’ at the top. The next page appeared to have been torn out. Confused, she double checked by flipping to the next page after that, however it turned out to be the divider page that said ‘Beasts of Hyrule’ in large script font.

She hefted the book over to the table Zelda’s map was on and politely interrupted their conversation. “Um...Princess? Why is this book missing a page?”

Zelda jumped, whirling around to stare at the Zora in surprise. After a few seconds she blinked and her face took on a new expression of interest. “Um, the castle was ransacked by monsters when Ganon attacked. They probably tore the page out.”

Nephume looked down at the book and then back up at her. “But...all the rest of the pages are still here. Why would they tear out one page and leave the rest?”

Zelda opened her mouth to speak, still a little surprised at seeing the Zora, but didn’t answer.

“Nephume!” Link hissed, glaring at her. “I told you to behave. Don’t be rude. It’s just a book, it’s not that important.”

Nephume frowned at him, touching the page the book was opened to. “But…”

“Hush!”

She looked down, unsure of herself. Had she done something wrong? She had tried to be polite. “But...what is an ‘Anooki’?”

Zelda perked up at the mention of the word, shaking her head to clear it and striding over to the book. She touched the page before assuming a thoughtful stance. “My mother used to tell me stories of creatures called Anooki that lived in Hyrule’s mountains. I always thought they were just tales to keep my attention.”

Nephume looked up at her with a curious expression, and when the princess caught her gaze she took it as a prompt to continue.

“The Anooki were said to be peaceful, pacifist creatures, as intelligent as you or I. They loved cold environments and had flippers and a pair of tiny antlers upon their heads. They were very calm and gentle, and often cheerful, as well as diminutive in size.” She paused to hold her hand up to just above her knee. “They were supposedly said to have run hot spring bath houses here in Hyrule, though I doubt anyone has seen them for hundreds of years now.”

Nephume looked down at the little creature pictured in the book. It was very cute, with a set of tiny antlers, flippers, a little fluffy coat, and big, dark, round eyes. It was very pudgy, fatter at the bottom of the body and thinner at the top like a pear. “Do you think they still exist?”

She blinked down at the Zora. “Well, it’s certainly POSSIBLE, but…” Nephume’s eyes lit up immediately. “I hope I get to see one someday!” Link groaned and brought a hand to his face. “I’m sorry, Princess.”

Zelda shook her head with a smile, and Link introduced the two before recounting Nephume’s story to her. “So you’ll be visiting the Zora next then?” Link nodded. “That’s the plan.”

“Good. Give my greetings to the king and prince. I still feel guilty about Mipha. I doubt I will ever feel completely at ease about it, but this visit should help.”

Link placed a hand on her shoulder in support. “It’s not your fault. She knew the risks and she agreed to be Vah Ruta’s Champion.”

Zelda frowned, but nodded. “Well, it’s late and we should all get some sleep. I’ll have the servants prepare a room for Nephume.”

They bade the princess farewell for the night and as promised a servant came to fetch Nephume. The Zora waved to Link as she followed the Hylian woman down the long hallways until she stopped at a set of double doors. Nephume gave a gasp when she saw the inside.

It was a large and luxurious room with a massive canopy bed and large windows with heavy curtains pulled across them. After the servant left, she laid awake, staring at the ceiling. She could hardly believe she was sleeping in a big bed in Hyrule Castle of all places.

It took a long time for her to fall asleep, but the bed was comfy and she felt safe and warm. When she woke up, it was to the distant sound of ringing metal. Confused, Nephume stumbled out of her room and down the hallways until she found herself in the royal courtyard. Link was fighting three soldiers at once, sparring with them. In spectacular fashion he easily disarmed two of them and knocked the third one back so he could dispatch the others.

When they had fallen in surrender, he paused, bringing the practice blade back behind him and sliding it into the scabbard clipped to the belt at his waist. The brilliant orange of the Zora caught his attention and he turned, nodding to her. She watched as two more challengers stepped up to face him. It looked like every spare knight in Hyrule was waiting for the chance to spar with the captain of the royal guard.

Nephume wandered away, leaving Link to his practice. As she passed a row of weapons one of them caught her eye. She had never seen combat until meeting Link, it was true, and she had never actually wielded such a weapon as she had been forbidden to do so. Still, she had watched the Zora soldiers train hundreds of times. She reached for the shining silver shaft of a Zora made spear. It had a an arrowhead point with curved hooks on either end giving it an almost diamond shape with the inner edges being blue.

She turned, facing the closest straw practice dummy she could find. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and tried to remember all the fighting stances she had longed to practice. She whirled, with the utmost grace, striking the dummy three times. She faltered once or twice as she ran through every move she knew, but quickly regained her stance and went back to battering her imaginary opponent.

It took her a long time to realize that the sound of ringing metal had stopped and the courtyard behind her was still and quiet. She could practically feel the tense gazes of the knights behind her, like the crushing weight of a boulder. She turned slowly to face them. They were standing casually, weapons at their sides or stowed away on the weapon racks lining the stone walls. Link was watching her with interest, tilting his head in thought.

“U-um…sorry?” She moved to return the spear to its rightful place when Link intercepted her. He was dropped into a battle stance, sword drawn and shield raised. Nephume backed away at first, confused before Link tapped the guard of the sword lightly against the face of the shield. He was calm, never taking his fierce blue gaze off her. He was issuing a challenge.

The Zora took a shaky breath, dropping into a crouch. She was nervous, and her eyes widened as Link charged her with a battle cry. She brought the spear up horizontally, blocking his harsh downward strike with the shaft of the weapon. He hit with enough force to make her arms hurt, and she rapidly backed away in an attempt to recover. He gave her no leeway.

He boldly advanced, swinging and striking quickly. Nephume barely had time to block each blow. I can’t keep blocking forever. I remember Sidon telling the guards that. To do so would only lead to her defeat. She blocked another blow, using the downward momentum of it to gain a good bit of speed as she twisted, striking out with the spear in a spinning upward attack. Link ducked, the sharpened edge of the spear just missing his blonde hair.

Nephume followed Link’s lead and went on the offensive, striking powerful blows for her tiny size. She forced him backward until he thrust forward, forcing her to dodge to one side. She used the hooked ends of the spear to grab the blade, a move she had watched Sidon demonstrate himself. With a single swift movement she had ripped the sword from his grasp and tossed it end over end into the air. It came down a short distance away, causing the knights to scatter with surprised gasps to avoid the possibility of being impaled by it.

In the short amount of time they had been fighting, Nephume had already begun to tire. She wasn’t used to the rigorous exercise that came with sparring, and Link wasn’t taking it easy on her at all. Even without a weapon he was striking back at her, bashing with his shield. At one point he had broken through her guard and had gotten close enough to deliver a harsh kick to her midsection. She considered surrendering early, but something in her didn’t want to. She was practically high on the excitement of being in a real fight, even with all the pain and aching protest of her untrained muscles.

She began to adapt Link’s fighting style to what she already knew, kicking or throwing an elbow at him when he got too close. Her technique was sloppy, but effective enough. As a Zora she had more strength than he did in general, though not by much given her stunted height. She didn’t stop until Link had batted the spear away and exhaustion forced her to her knees. She was gasping for air, and couldn’t even vocally admit defeat, though Link saved her the effort by returning his shield to his back and the practice weapons to their slots. She had lasted a good long time, longer than he had expected. ' _I definitely wasn’t wrong. She has a lot of potential to be a strong warrior. She seems to enjoy it well enough, I wonder why she never became a Zora guard?'_

He was snapped from his thoughts by weight hitting him from behind. The Zora in question had dragged herself to her feet and was hugging him, a bright smile lighting her pale cheeks. “That * _huff*_ was...was hard!” She seemed positively delighted at being included and Link placed a hand lightly on the top of her head. “You did good, all things considered.” He wanted to say more but the sound of hooves interrupted him. Epona had trotted up, impatiently pawing the ground.

Nephume looked up at him and he shook his head, a smile playing at his features. “Yeah, ok. We’ll head out soon, alright?” He pulled away from the Zora to pat his horse on the neck before ambling away. Nephume pulled herself onto the mare’s back and turned her away. “Isn’t there a stable you should be resting in?” She asked, amusement in her voice. Epona gave a soft whinny and started down the hill back the way she had come.

Link made his way into the castle, searching for the...well everyone still called her Princess Zelda at her request, but she was the Queen now. He found her in her towering study, isolated from the rest of the castle. “Princess.” She looked up to him with a gentle smile. “Heading off already?” He nodded, stopping just inside the doorway. “I just wanted to let you know.” She gave a hefty sigh as he turned away. “I wish you wouldn’t.”

Link froze in the doorway, staring down at his boots for a moment. “Zelda…” He felt her hands on his shoulder and against his back. “Link...I...I can’t do this alone. I need a...a king.” He turned fully to face her. “Zelda, you already know my answer to that request.” He tensed as she put her hands on his chest. Her gentle touch lit a fire under his skin and it made him twitch. “I never thought you were so selfish. Can’t you put the good of the kingdom before your own self-doubt?! Can’t you put us first?! Hyrule needs a king! Don’t you-!”

He cut her off with a snort. “You really don’t get it.” He suddenly took her hands in his own, holding them to his chest tenderly. “I love you, Zelda. That’s exactly why I’m turning you down. I will defend you to my last breath, you know that, but I’m no king. I wasn’t cut out for that. I would never be able to stand having my hands tied, being confined to the castle, signing papers and instructing townspeople on how to solve their problems.”

Zelda frowned. “You wouldn’t have to-”

“Zelda.”

He took a deep breath. “I wasn’t cut out to be a diplomat. I was born to be out there.” He gave a sweeping motion with one hand, gesturing to the view of the vast open hills of Hyrule in the distance. “I wouldn’t be able to keep my mind off it. I’d make a poor king, and a poor husband as a result. I want to be with you, but above all I want you and this kingdom to be happy and well off and no matter how much you stubbornly tell me otherwise I know I can’t make you happy as king.”

He kissed the back of one of her hands, feeling a bittersweet twinge in his heart. Her disgruntled blue eyes made his chest ache. He released her, turning on his boot heel and walking briskly away.

Nephume had been given an apple by the stablehand and was happily crunching on it alongside Epona, who also had an apple, when Link found her. He pulled himself into Epona’s saddle with one swift movement. “Alright, let’s go.” Nephume gripped the apple in her teeth as she hauled herself up in front of Link. She felt him tense and wondered if he was ok. Before she had even fully settled he had snapped the reigns and Epona took off with a small snort.

After a while, Nephume found herself feeling tired again. It was mid afternoon, so she probably would have been napping at this point anyway, but she was even more exhausted than usual. The cause was obvious, but she couldn’t stop herself from drifting off. She was jolted awake when Link caught her after she nearly fell off the horse.

He pulled Epona to a stop with a sigh, but there was a light smile on his face. “Sit behind me if you’re going to sleep. That way you can lean on my back.” Nephume jumped down and then back up again, leaning into Link’s back. His blue tunic was soft with wear and she yawned. She was fast asleep by the time Link reached the Lanayru Province. The Lanayru Tower loomed above them as Epona cantered along at a good pace. The imposing Sheikah monument seemed to be watching them.

He expected the sound of the waterfalls and the Zora River to wake Nephume up, but she didn’t so much as twitch.

Epona climbed ever higher, the gray stone slowly turning to a slick and shiny deep blue. It jutted up in large cliffs, the uneven surface the most prominent feature of the area. When any traveler laid eyes on them it was clear they were nearing the Zoras’ Domain. A light breeze ruffled Epona’s mane as she followed the grass lined path. Lanayru was one of the most beautiful areas of Hyrule, and everything seemed to be twice as brightly colored in the rain soaked region.

Epona crested the hill and stopped, snorting. Below them was the sparkling Zora city, its massive crystal spires rising elegantly toward the sky. A massive bridge stretched from the circular structure to the mainland, the only way for land dwelling visitors to reach it. It meant the Zoras’ Domain was well protected from surprise attacks or intruders.

Before long, Epona’s hooves were lightly clacking on the polished and carved stone. She swished her tail nonchalantly. The guards at the end of the bridge greeted him warmly. “Hello, Master Link! It’s good to see you as always.” He nodded to them. “The feeling is mutual. I trust all is well here?” The guard nodded to him. “Yes, quite!” As link passed the father-daughter pair he could tell their cheerfulness was painfully fake. He heard one of them gasp and quietly mumble, “Is that…?!”

Prince Sidon approached Link warmly as he pulled his horse to a stop just inside the city. “Hello, my friend! It’s good to see you, how have you been?” Link narrowed his eyes but gave a smirk upon seeing Sidon’s toothy grin. It was clearly a charade and it made him nervous. Something was definitely wrong. “Well, I have a bit of a surprise for you, I’d expect.” He shrugged, bouncing Nephume against his back. The jolt woke her up on the second try and she mumbled incoherently. “Come on, wake up. We’re here.” His voice was soft and gentle. Still drowsy, the amber Zora slid down and stumbled a little.

Sidon’s yellow eyes widened considerably. “...Nephume?” His voice was low, and cracked a bit, but as the girl turned to him he erupted in a trill of excitement. “NEPHUME!” In a flash he had scooped the miniature Zora up in his arms and was hugging her tightly, turning back and forth with his face buried in her shoulder. “We thought you were dead! What happened?! Where were you?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this story, Link and Zelda have a tumultuous relationship that may or may not work out in the end. Link's concerns are valid as he is a knight and a hero. His chivalrous nature means he puts the needs of those around him before his own desires and as a knight of Hyrule that includes the kingdom's needs themselves.
> 
> Nephume and Sidon also have a bit of a rocky relationship that is in much the same boat as Link and Zelda's in a way. You'll see more of it in the next few chapters.


	5. Sidon's Grief

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this Chapter we get the help of Old Man Timemachine to take a trip back to when Nephume was captured from Sidon's point of view.
> 
> In this retrospective we see how Sidon views his and Nephume's relationship clearer and just how much she means to him.

“Prince Sidon!” The crimson Zora turned in the direction the guard had yelled from. “There’s another Octorok in the Reservoir Lake! We tried killing it but we couldn’t get close enough.” Sidon took a deep breath, walking away from Mipha’s statue in the center of the city. “We wanted your input, as you have fought these beasts more often than anyone else in the kingdom.”

He nodded. “Yes, I understand.” He paused, raising a hand and whirling. He spotted what he was looking for a moment later. A tiny orange form across the plaza. “Nephume!” The little Zora turned her gaze in his direction. “Please stay in the Domain for today.” Her eye roll was obvious, even at a distance and he sighed. “Please?”

“Fine!”

He shook his head and addressed the guard. “Please keep an eye on her. I’ll take care of the Octorok.” He set off for his task, climbing the long staircases up to the top of the dam. He could see a pair of guards with their spears harassing the beast while trying to avoid being slammed with small boulders shot from the creature’s mouth.

He brandished a spear himself, taking one of the spares that were kept nearby for just such an occasion. With the utmost efficiency he slashed his way through the projectiles and engaged the Octorok in underwater combat. After a few minutes, he resurfaced with the creature’s limp body. He instructed the guards to throw it over Rutala Dam where it wouldn’t contaminate their water supply.

Upon returning to the Domain, he was swamped with a variety of other tasks that kept his attention almost till sunset. Another beast had to be killed, several stone monuments surveyed for their condition, and a bridge tested to make sure it was still stable.

The sky was quickly turning a deep orange. He stared up at the color, suddenly coming to a realization. He walked quickly and with purpose, checking every inch of the Domain. Nephume was not in the city. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his mouth twitching down in the beginnings of a frown.

_'Of course not. Hylia forbid she do what I asked of her. Nephume…'_

His next step was to find the guard he had tasked with watching her. He found said Zora a short while later, running at a panicked full sprint, across the main entrance bridge.

“Where is Nephume?” He tried to keep the hints of worry from his voice but it didn’t sound like he had succeeded.

The guard looked up at him in uncertainty. “I...I don’t know. I looked away for one second, to make sure nothing was sneaking up on us, and she was just...gone. I swam up and down the river trying to find her. She...a man...a Hylian. He took her away. I...I’m sorry my Prince…”

Sidon panicked. “What?!”

The guard couldn’t stand to look at him from the shame. “I saw him drag her from the river with a net...by the time I reached them he was riding away with her on a horse. After I lost sight of them because of the bend in the river I couldn’t keep up and I...I lost them.”

Nephume was out there somewhere, probably cold and afraid. He dove straight over the railing of the bridge and into the water below. He swam rapidly down the river, stopping every so often to call her name. Thoughts whirled in his head like the river’s current. _'Is she safe? What does this Hylian want with her? Is he going to hurt her? Will I ever see her again?'_

He went all the way to Lake Hylia and back. He spent all night looking for her and only stopped when exhaustion tugged harshly at his limbs. He slept lightly, often waking up, for only a few hours before he was back at the search. A messenger was sent to contact Queen Zelda at Hyrule Castle to notify her in the hopes her guards would find something they had missed.

Every guard they could spare was actively looking for her. They searched every day for nearly two months with no success. They asked every traveler they met if they had seen her, before his father quitely tried to comfort him and told the guards to cease the search. He went down river and sat on the rocks, keeping watch in case she came back, every day for the next month until he began to lose hope. Reward fliers had been sent to every stable in the nearby regions, but no one had come to claim the prize yet.

After six months his demeanor began to change. He smiled less, and sometimes got mildly cross before correcting himself. He spent large amounts of time alone, usually at the Reservoir Lake. His small fan club had caught him multiple times simply staring off into space, a multitude of different and rather pained expressions crossing his face as he did so.

He had returned, once, to find the Council yelling angrily. Muzu and Jiahto seemed the most furious. “We can’t simply abandon our efforts! The last of the River Zoras is a priceless treasure! She is a part of our heritage that we cannot afford to lose so quickly!”

Jiahto nodded. “Indeed! To think such importance would rest upon the shoulders of such a careless and foolish girl!”

Trello scowled. “Perhaps the Domain is better off without her rebellious and self-centered blood tainting it…” He earned several bewildered glances, but some members quietly agreed with him.

Muzu’s voice rose to a yell. “How dare you! Nephume was the King’s daughter! Regardless of her heritage she was a princess by all accounts! She was a tad reckless, yes, but our Prince Sidon was always there to temper that over enthusiasm. Let us not forget that we had hoped they would one day be wed. We have lost what could have been our future queen and you would slander her so? Blasphemous!”

Fury rose in Sidon’s chest at Trello’s comment and he charged forward with strong and powerful strides. “None of you have any right to speak ill of her! You never bothered to stop looking down your noses and truly know her for who she is! She was beautiful and smart! She was wonderful and kind! She was...she…!”

He frowned and turned away from their shocked stares, holding back tears. A moment later he stormed out, wishing to be alone.

Muzu frowned at Trello. “You see? Even our own Prince is appalled at your insolence.”

It slowly became obvious to everyone else that the vigor with which he typically approached tasks was faked. He had already lost his blood sister, now he had lost someone nearly as close to him. Perhaps even more so given how much more time they had spent together. At one point he had gotten a little reckless. He went and fought anything he could, almost earning himself some new scars. Eventually he gave up on that endeavor too.

He spent a great amount of time at the reservoir, staring at Vah Ruta. Every memory he had of Nephume weighed on his heart and made his chest sting, like a wound that just wouldn’t heal. He remembered the first time she had gone swimming in the fast current of the river. She panicked and he had to hold her hand and help her avoid being swept away, her little legs flailing to regain control.

He remembered teaching her to fish with a bow. She was so small she barely had the strength to draw it and was so proud when she finally managed to skewer a fish. It was such a tiny one, barely even a mouthful, but he had practically drowned her in praise.

He remembered the endless days spent playing together, carefree and happy, before responsibility took a greater hold in their lives. Times when they would explore Lanayru together, making lots of new discoveries and finding lots of exciting new things. Times when their small world around the Zora’s Domain seemed much larger than it was now. Times when she wasn’t so uncontent with her life...

Regret began to seep through him, the memories of their arguments smothering him with the guilt they carried. When she had tried to fight an Octorok and had nearly gotten herself killed...it flashed before him like a lightning bolt. He had to take care of her for weeks after that, and she had a bad limp for a long time before her leg finally healed.

He frowned, thinking of their most recent fight. When they had been out of earshot of most of the Domain it had erupted into a vicious shouting match that ended with her crying. The more he thought of it the more deeply rooted his pain became. “I shouldn’t have yelled at her so. I should have...I…” Tears formed and ran down his face and a sharp inhale indicated his attempt at stifling a sob.

Most of all he remembered the way she looked at him. They way her green eyes lit up warmly from the smile that spread across her face. The way they burned when she was angry and the light that twinkled in them when she talked of adventures and travel. They sparkled like little emeralds, especially at night when they reflected the light of the moon. She was pretty as a lily and so delicate. Her sweeping orange fins gave her such a graceful appearance, even out of the water. She was especially beautiful, he thought, when she was undeniably happy. It was almost as if she glowed like a summer sunset, her bright orange skin taking on a whole new warmth he had never witnessed anywhere else. Even the distant glow from Death Mountain, which could be seen from Upland Zorana, paled in comparison.

And...once, he had found her swimming in the lake he now sat beside in the middle of the night. His breath had caught in his lungs and he had kept himself hidden so he wouldn’t startle or offend her. He watched from the shore as her glowing form moved so elegantly through the water, leaving waves in her wake. It reminded him much of the great dragon, Dinraal, whose fleeting form could be seen circling the volcano from the edges of their kingdom. Her brilliant orange fins flowed around her as though they were flickering flames, a dress of wavering, luminescent natural chiffon. Out of the water they bounced behind her delicate frame, a permanent bustle that always gave her an air of grace and nobility...

He cried for a while, his yellow eyes welling with emotion. Sunset was the hardest time for him. The orange glow spreading across the sky reminded him of her, slapping him like a harsh wave.

After nine months they had given up on ever seeing the miniature girl again. Discussions had started on how to memorialize her. Should she have a proper funeral? Several statue designs had been put forth, but he and his father had rejected all of them. They simply couldn’t do her justice.

A crushing sadness and guilt washed over the Domain, heavier than any monsoon. Many Zoras missed Nephume’s bright demeanor and others regretted scolding her, not getting to know her better, speaking ill of her. Her closest friends could often be seen grieving in a small group, the loss making them closer than ever. When the king had given a speech to cement her loss, they had each wanted to say a few words. There were five of them, and each one wanted the Domain to remember a certain quality she held. Courage. Kindness. Vigor. Loyalty. And lastly, Determination. Rain began to fall as the speech ended. Even the skies seemed to be weeping.

The guard who had failed to save her took things harder than most. He couldn’t focus, rarely spoke, he even confessed to Sidon that he had considered leaving the Domain for good. The Prince had assured him that it wasn’t his fault though he couldn’t help thinking that he secretly blamed the guard for all of it. Something he had to painfully admit to himself was that he felt just as much to blame. He had neglected to protect her and now she was gone.

Even mighty King Dorephan was grieving, though it hardly showed. He had to maintain strength to lead his people. However, the loss hit him hard. Not only had they lost a princess, and an important member of a dying family, but he had raised her alongside his son for his dearest friends. She was just as much a daughter to him as Mipha had been, and he had channeled all the love he hadn’t been able to give his blood daughter into caring for his adoptive one.

When Link came to visit the Domain for the first time in a few years their happiness was still dampened by grief. Sidon hoped he could drown his sorrows in time spent with his dear friend, and did his best to be cheerful. He could see Link’s eyes narrow at his greeting.

_'He knows my feelings are not genuine. Perhaps I should tell him what has transpired. He never knew her though, she was always off doing whatever she wished when he visited. He maybe saw her face once.'_

And then, just like that, Link made him happier than he could ever have imagined. The short orange form that slid down from the back of his horse made Sidon’s heart skip a beat. It couldn’t possibly be...but it was. She was dressed in some sort of blue clothing with the Zora Sapphire, the royal logo, pinned to the front. Her bright green eyes were dull with drowsiness and she rubbed them sleepily with one hand.

“...Nephume?”

Happiness swelled in him like the river in spring, overrunning its banks. He scooped Nephume up into his arms and hugged her tightly, fighting back the urge to cry and burying his face in her shoulder. She seemed confused, likely still not completely awake yet, but returned his hug all the same.

_'Link is truly an amazing person. What divine grace I must have received to know one such as him.'_


	6. The Indignation of a Prize

Nephume gazed around her, confused and still somewhat drowsy. Someone was hugging her, a Zora by the feel, likely Sidon. She began to drift back into sleep in his arms as he started moving. She woke with a sudden start as water was splashed in her face.

“Ngh! Wha-?”

Sidon was crouched in front of her, beaming widely. “Sidon!” Behind him sat his father, on his throne as usual, surveying the Domain from high above the others. Nephume bowed to him, more out of habit than actual respect. They were practically family, so such formalities weren’t actually necessary. He smiled widely at her and nodded.

“Where have you been?! What happened to you?! Are you-?!”

The little orange Zora placed a hand over Sidon’s mouth, muffling the rest of his questions.

Dorephan gave a small chuckle and a sweeping motion to indicate that she should begin retelling her tale. Rather than tell it coherently though, it all came out in an excited stream.

“I was in the Gerudo Desert and I met the chief of the Gerudo, her name is Riju she’s super nice, and I made this friend! Her name is Naril and she sells jewelry and she fixed my necklace and then Link showed up and I got to ride his horse, her name is Epona. I went to the Rito Village and rode on the back of Vah Medoh and I learned how to use a bow for more than just fishing, this nice Rito boy taught me, and I fought Link in a practice battle and, and-!”

She paused to take a big gulp of air.

“I KILLED A MONSTER!!!”

She had gotten more and more excited as she spoke, finally ending energetically bouncing up and down.

Sidon on the other hand got more and more upset. His face went pale at her sudden exclamation. He glanced up at his father, whose eyes were wide, and back down at her. He straightened visibly and his expression became very serious.

“Well, then it looks like you’ve gotten more than enough excitement for a good long while. That’s good, because you’ll be staying here, where you belong, for quite some time.”

Nephume’s face fell considerably and she frowned at him. “What?”

“Nephume,” he paused. “You were kidnapped! We proclaimed you dead! Everyone thought you were gone for good. You were off wandering around Hyrule, fighting monsters, and you never thought of us at all?! You couldn’t even send word that you were alright?! You need to stay here from now on.” He strode forward to hold her shoulders and force her to look up at him. “I...you…” she stuttered, at a loss for words.

“You are the only remaining member of your family, a very important family. There aren’t many Zoras left who don’t come from families that look like ours. Have you not noticed that most of our people now look like sharks from the ocean?” She tried to stop him. “But, Sidon-!” He silenced her with a raised hand.

“But you...your family are descended from River Zoras, the rest of whom became the Rito you met. You are the last of them, and that is why your fins flow like water. It’s why you are so small and why you are very important to the Domain. You need to stay here where you are safe.”

She frowned at him. “But how am I to know anything of my importance or that of our Domain if I don’t even know our place in the rest of Hyrule?! I have seen nothing! I know nothing! What if…?! What if…?! What if some nobles came to visit?! What if Princess Zelda came?! What if she wanted to discuss important matters concerning the river or the state of water in Hyrule? Or, or...or how we could contribute our resources in the event of a shortage?! Or even just casual dribble?! How can I answer, how can I assure her that we know of Hyrule and its people and its plights and needs if I don’t even know what it looks like?!”

Sidon straightened and raised an eyebrow, looking down at her. “If the Princess did come it would be of little concern to you. You are an honored part of our Domain, a princess no less, but you rarely ever stop to consider the responsibilities that come with that prestige. No, you wish for nothing more than endless days of play and leisure at the cost of all our worrying and stress. You didn’t even think about us when you were gone!” His voice lowered considerably and he bore his pain in full to her. “You didn’t think about me. Not once…”

She pulled away from him, her eyes reflecting his own pain. It was true...she had never considered their feelings upon reaching Gerudo Town, or thought about them at all. She had grown pudgy and lazy on free food and the kindness of others. Really, Gerudo Town had been just as much of a prison as her own home. It simply had new wardens.

Her gaze flashed with guilt, anger and confusion. Sidon’s voice, cracking with pain had shattered her twisted view like a stone on the surface of a calm pond, forcing her to face her own denial.

Finally, her face settled as anger shot through her. Anger at herself, anger at him and every other Zora that supported the way he shut her away from the rest of the world. Her voice rose to a shrill screech. “Am I nothing more than a precious jewel?! Your personal piece of amber to display only when you feel you should prove your worth?! Am I allowed my own thoughts, or is that forbidden too?!”

Stunned, Sidon flailed for an answer. “N-Nephume…!”

“No! You want me to be a perfect little princess and sit here waiting for someone worthy of my heritage on a silken pillow, ignorant of our people, our kingdom, our world! You won’t let me do anything to learn who I am or what I should be! How am I going to be a proper Zora, let alone a princess and last of my ‘rare’ bloodline if I never have a life to experience?! You’re so...so...aggravating! Sometimes I just can’t stand to be around you!”

Her chest heaved with every breath as she dragged her eyes away from his pained expression to stare at the eavesdropping Zora council and her king. He looked down at her with a calm expression and kindness in his gaze. “Nephume. You are upset and that is understandable, but please try to think of our position. We care greatly for you and-”

Rage, like a great hurricane, swirled in her and she couldn’t stop it. She didn’t want to. “I am no prize to be won! I am no treasure to be hoarded far from the grasp of thieves! I am a Zora, rare or not, and I refuse to be swayed by sweetness and pity into accepting this disillusioned reality! I can and must stand on my own two feet! I will climb this waterfall for myself! There is no way around it!”

She stood there for a moment, nothing but the sounds of running water gently echoing around her. As it sank in that she had interrupted her king, the highest authority and her father, a horrified expression slowly sank into her features. Before anything could be said, she fled, rushing down the stairs and out of sight.

“Nephume!”

Sidon’s eyes widened in utter shock and he began to follow her, pain at her words searing his heart like a Fire Arrow. Link stopped him before he could take more than a few steps.

“Don’t bother. She’s heading for the Reservoir Lake. She’ll be safe there. Allow me to tell you the tale I was told about what happened to Nephume, and the events thereafter while she calms down.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Both Nephume and Sidon make good points in this Chapter and each are equally upset by the revelations of Nephume's feelings. Ultimately, Nephume is forced to confront her own selfishness while Sidon is forced to reconsider Nephume's lifestyle and the way he shows his affection for her.


	7. But a Moment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this Chapter references the short moment of calm alone time between Nephume and Link before things get stirred up again.

“So, she truly was in the Gerudo Desert? But how? How did she manage to make it all the way out there with so little water?”

Link shrugged at the Prince’s question. “Sheer willpower? That’s my best guess. She wanted so desperately to see the city, and it’s not like she could have just turned around and gone back with monsters camped so close to the road.”

Irritation stung the Zora like nettles. “But she could have sent word to us! She could have-!” He stopped when he saw Link looking up at him.

“I understand why you’re so upset. Judging by your reaction the two of you are very close. But I also understand how Nephume saw things. She was alone and afraid, taken from her home by a stranger, attacked by monsters, turned away when she was terrified, desperate for kindness and charity, having nothing to offer. She found that kindness in Gerudo Town...she found freedom and knowledge. She found her own strength and courage. She was selfish, yes, but at least try to see things from her point of view.”

Sidon sighed and looked out toward the dam that led to the lake. Nephume hadn’t returned. Link came to stand next to him. “You know, something has just come to mind.”

“Oh?”

Link nodded. “Yes. While we were in the Rito Village, Nephume was watching the sunset and said she couldn’t imagine why anyone wouldn’t want to stay there. She said she could stay there forever.”

Sidon quietly listened to him, eyes narrowing.

“I told her that I didn’t believe her.”

At this the Prince tilted his head. “Why did you not believe her, my friend?”

“She asked the same. I told her it was because she’s like me. She can’t stand to be tied down in one place for too long. She craves the wild, unbridled adventure. She wasn’t made for a cage of water and stone.” He looked pointedly at Sidon before turning away.

“But that’s just my opinion. I’ll go find her, see if she’s ok.” The sound of his boots clacking on the stone echoed as he retreated. Sidon watched him go and looked up at his father, who was quietly watching him. He raised an eyebrow.

Sidon looked away, not wanting to admit that Link might be right. A thought flashed in his mind that caused a nervous knot in his stomach. Does Nephume love him? He dismissed it almost as quickly as it had come. Surely not. Still, the idea made him nervous. She was wearing clothes now, and walking around on land instead of swimming. She had covered her arm fins with a pair of Link’s spare bracers. She rode a horse!

He didn’t want her to hate him, but he couldn’t stand the idea of letting her go and seeing her get hurt out there in the wilds of Hyrule. Besides, she was so important to all of Zora kind. The Domain needed her. What if she never came back? What if she died? He loved her. He didn’t want anything bad to ever happen to her. With a heavy sigh he began to head toward the lake as well. Perhaps he could talk to her.

* * *

Link found Nephume sitting on the end of the dock, throwing stones into the water. The impressive form of Vah Ruta stood before them, regally settled in the center of the lake. Nephume didn’t turn, but he was certain she had heard his approaching footsteps.

He plopped down next to her and pulled his boots off, letting his feet dangle over the end of the dock and into the water. He picked up a stone from the good sized pile she had accumulated and tossed it. It gave a soft plunk in reply.

“So…”

She gave him a side glance. “So, I yelled at my Prince, my King...my family. Just right there, before everyone.”

Link gave a gentle smile and patted her shoulder. “Everything will be fine. Trust me.”

She raised an eyebrow and gave a discontented snort. “How would you know?”

He chuckled in response. It was a gentle sound, rather pleasing to the ear, and hearing it eased her irritation and shame a little. In the short time she had known him she had noticed this. He had this manner of speaking and moving that made him easy to talk to and be around. Spilling all her feelings to him felt simple, nice even.

“I know a thing or two about saving princesses.”

She nearly burst out laughing, though she supposed he was right. He had saved Zelda after all. “Then help me out of this mess.”

He smiled and sat back, looking out at the bright blue sky. “I did what I could, but I think the rest is up to you at this point.”

He couldn’t help but snort in amusement at her displeased scowl. So much fire and energy was packed into such a tiny person, it was almost cute in a way. He could understand why Sidon favored her, especially now that she had called them her family. He knew for a fact they weren’t related, so his only assumptions were that they must have grown up together and be very close.

His thoughts wandered over to Ruta and he lazily wondered who its next Champion might be. Zelda had chosen the first Champions, but now it seemed that the beasts were imparting their own will. He blinked as he considered if it would choose Sidon, though he felt the prince wasn’t quite the right fit.

_'Part of me very much hopes it’s her.'_

He stole a glance at the irritated Zora and for the first time really took the opportunity to look closely at her. Her thin and shapely fins framed her face like his own bangs and the fin on the back of her head flared at the bottom, almost like a ponytail. They were a darker orange at the edges and pale white veins ran down them to help them keep their shape. She had pulled off the bracers he’d given her, the scratches under them from when she had picked Wildberries on their way from the Rito Village still showing.

The fins on her arms were long and wide at the ends, her leg fins matched them. The fins at her waist lifted up ever so slightly and flowed down in layers over top of one another. Now that he looked at her as a whole, she almost appeared as though wearing a frilly ball gown like the ones he had seen Zelda wear in the past.

_'She certainly looks like a princess but acts like a Gerudo warrior.'_

He almost chuckled to himself at the thought.

She must’ve picked it up from Riju and that friend of hers, Naril. The way Sidon ranted leads me to believe she was always this way though.

The thought of Nephume being a little warrior princess brought a smile to his face. She was so similar to Sidon.

_'Maybe that’s why they fight?'_

It would certainly explain it. They were both headstrong, spunky, excitable and brave. The only difference was that Nephume shirked her responsibilities in favor of adventure, and was not quite as formal and polite as Sidon. Still, Link thought they made a good match. They obviously cared about each other a great deal.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when Nephume literally pulled him into the lake. He flailed for a moment before surfacing and turning toward her as she came up next to him, giggling.

"What was that for?"

Nephume snickered and responded, "You had such a grumpy look on your face, like you just ate something sour. I thought you deserved a dunking to get whatever was bothering you off your mind."

He hauled himself onto the dock and looked over his shoulder at her with a raised eyebrow. "Is randomly throwing unsuspecting people into lakes how **you** forget what bothers you?" His tone was laced with amusement.

She gave him a curt look before replying. "Yes."

He couldn't stop himself from chuckling and rolled his eyes. "Well, I'm soaked anyway so I may as well go for a swim." He pulled his tunic and undershirt off and left them in the sun to dry before diving back into the lake. Nephume watched him swim a little before catching up to him.

"How fast can you swim? Are you as speedy as Sidon and the others?" He asked, treading water.

Nephume shook her head. "I wish. I wasn't really built for speed. Now that I think about it maybe Sidon is right. I'm just kind of…ornamental." Her face fell a little and he felt a small flash of guilt for asking.

"Being slow doesn't mean you're ornamental. You're smart, and good at combat if you ever got a chance to train a little."

Nephume looked back at him with big green eyes. "Really?"

He snorted with amusement. "Why would I lie to you?" He floated on his back for a bit and Nephume turned away, looking at him from the corner of her eye. She didn't want to just stare at him but she had never seen a Hylian without a shirt before. His chest was basically built like a Zora's though, but shorter of course. She turned toward him a little more as her eyes glanced over a scar. He had three or four large ones on his chest and one on his side that she could see.

"You've fought a lot, right?"

Link pulled himself upright and turned toward her. "I have. Why do you ask?"

"Were you ever scared?"

His eyes softened when she refused to look at him as she spoke. "Of course. Only a fool fights without feeling fear. But being brave means overcoming that fear, and I couldn't stop myself from protecting Hyrule, no matter the danger."

Nephume eyed him carefully. "What's the scariest thing you've ever fought?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Besides Calamity Ganon? Hm..." His face scrunched in thought. "Well, a Lynel of any kind is a terrifyingly vicious opponent. They're master archers, all of them. They don't stop attacking unless you somehow get far enough away, die, or manage to kill it."

"Sidon was always afraid I'd try to fight the Lynel at Shatterback Point, I think. He constantly told me not to go anywhere near it."

Her gaze ran over the tall spire of rock as she spoke. She had never seen a Lynel, up close or otherwise.

Link followed her gaze and for a reckless split second he considered taking her up the path to see the creature before swiftly dismissing the notion. Sidon would be utterly furious with him and if the beast spotted them and attacked he'd have to quickly dispatch it before it naturally targeted the weakest opponent, which would, of course, be Nephume.

He pulled the Sheikah Slate from his waist and continued to tread water with just his feet. The device was waterproof, iceproof, and even fireproof so he took it everywhere with him. "Come here, I want to show you something."

As Nephume came up beside him he began going through pictures until he found one of a Lynel to show her. She studied it carefully, awed by the creature.

"How big do they get?"

Link put the slate away before answering her question. "At least half-again my height. Usually a little taller. They run as fast as a horse and can crush bone with a single swing of their weapons or a good kick. They can breathe fire too. Taking one on is not for the unskilled or weak of heart."

He began to head back to shore with the Zora in tow. Before he could reach it the sky lit with a strange violet-pink glow and the world shook around them, causing waves to slap them harshly. As the shaking ceased and the glow faded he dragged himself from the lake.

They both froze to gaze up at Shatterback Point as the cry of the Lynel echoed through the area. Link frowned and narrowed his eyes, rapidly throwing his shirts back on. He took a deep breath and handed Nephume his sheild. Confused, she took it with a curious expression but Link's eyes were hard as steel when she looked back up at him.

"I want you to make sure you keep that sheild at the ready to protect yourself. If I'm right," he paused to draw the Master Sword from the scabbard across his back. "You'll need it shortly."


	8. Nephume's Storm

A few moments later, as if on cue, the lumbering form of a Lynel appeared before them, clambering over the rocks. It had a strange purple aura he had never seen before. It spotted them almost immediately and knocked a Shock Arrow, firing it straight up into the sky.

"Nephume! The Sheild!"

Link made a motion for her to raise it above her head and as she did so the arrow struck, exploding against the surface with such force that it knocked her off her feet. As predicted, the Lynel knew exactly which opponent was weakest and targeted her without a shred of mercy.

The horrible man-beast pulled a club from its back and pawed the ground before charging straight at Link. It covered several hundred feet in a stride and a half and swung, the aura draining into the weapon.

The strength with which it flailed the hunk of metal sent a gust of air swirling harshly past them. It made Nephume's fins flare around her and threw her back.

Link deftly dodged the blow with a side angled backflip, almost losing his balance from the backlash of the overpowered attack, and darted in to strike several blows to the monster's torso. He moved with such speed he was simply a blur to the orange Zora cowering behind his sheild. The Lynel roared with fury, almost unaffected, and rounded on him, releasing a jet of brilliant and intense flame from its maw.

The Hylian warrior rolled to one side to avoid being scorched and dashed toward the monster again. When a Lynel went to breathe fire it would spread its front legs and lean its body down, leaving it in the perfect position to lose its head, assuming an opponent could reach it quickly enough.

Link came at it from the side, sliding beneath its burly right arm and the weapon it held to push upright and swing. The sword stuck stiffly in the beast's neck and it flailed, throwing him from side to side before the blade came loose. The Hylian hit the reflective blue stone harshly on his shoulder and winced.

The Lynel turned its full attention on Nephume. It charged her, rearing and preparing to smash her into the ground with its powerful legs.

**"Nephume!"**

Link jumped to his feet despite the searing pain in his arm and rushed toward her. Eyes wide, Nephume knew even with the sheild she would never withstand such a blow. The world seem to slow before her and she made a split second decision to save her own life. She dove forward, between the Lynel's front legs as they came down, rolling beneath it and darting out from beneath its side toward Link. He picked up speed and jumped as it turned, swinging the Master Sword with both hands and aiming for the previous wound he'd left.

He removed its head completely with one clean blow, jumping off its chest and doing a backflip. The body collapsed like a marionette with its strings cut, as thick red blood poured from the wound. With the beast slain the aura dissipated and sounds of more fighting reached them from below. Nephume was at Link's side at once, trembling, but mostly unharmed.

As the two of them jogged to the side to look down on the Domain, she caught the Hylian holding his arm with one eye half closed in pain. Upon reaching the side their eyes fell on a terrible sight. Two large armies of monsters, bathed in a putrid purple aura, were attacking from the side and main bridges, each one headed by a Lynel. One was blue, the other a pale white with purple stripes. They tossed Zora left and right over the sides with each blow. Luckily, the armored Guard had stronger bodies than Hylians like Link so the blows weren't as fatal as they could've been. Regardless, the attackers were carving a path to the heart of the watery city with terrifying efficiency.

As they gazed down in shock, sounds caught Link's attention and he turned to his right. A third group of monsters was making its way over the same rocky ground the Lynel had come from and he realized with a start that it had been the commander for these forces. The creatures spotted the Lynel's body and then Link and Nephume. A war horn sounded, making the amber Zora jump and whirl, eyes widening as she saw them.

Link ordered her to run and she went bolting down the stairs as fast as her little legs would take her, Link on her heels. When she reached the bottom she slowed to hand him the sheild back. He took it and charged across the bridge, ordering her to find Sidon and Dorephan.

"I'll be ok! You need to get somewhere safe!"

She wanted to disregard his order, but she didn't have a weapon and the idea of fighting them claw to claw scared her. Her orange form came streaking across the domain and straight into Sidon's grasp. She flailed for a moment, heading for the stairs. "Sidon, let go! We have to find father too! Come on!" She tugged at his arm, pulling him toward the stairs as he gazed at her in surprise before scooping her up and bringing her straight to the throne chamber.

Dorephan had risen from his throne, fury blazing in his eyes. "I found her, father! What shall we do now? Can we handle all of them ourselves?"

"There are more coming from the reservoir! Link slayed the Lynel but the others are still on their way!" Nephume shouted before her King could answer. His eyes widened and a deep frown crossed his face. "I fear we must use the Divine Weapon, gifted to us by the mighty goddess, Hylia. The Thunderstrike Trident. I only pray we can."

Sidon's gaze turned fierce and he puffed his chest out proudly. "I will weild it if you allow, father." The king shook his head. "I'm afraid it isn't so simple as that. The Trident chooses its own master. It will reject any it deems unworthy."

The king turned, face grim. He would not sit idly by as his Domain was attacked. He thumped a fist against his throne and a panel opened in the back of it, revealing a brightly shining weapon.

Lightning erupted from the crown of the Zora's Domain as the din of battle and the roaring of monsters echoed below. There was a momentary pause, as all eyes turned to the brilliant flashes.

Fear lit in Nephume's eyes for a quarter of a second before they hardened like steel. She knew with no doubt what she had to do. In this dire time of need **she** would fight with the mighty Trident. She marched confidently forward toward the sparking, angry weapon, completely ignoring Sidon's desperate protest. Link was fighting valiantly on their behalf below and the look on his face as she watched him hold his arm came to the forefront of her thoughts for a brief moment. She'd be damned if she didn't do something to help him now.

The trident was a powerful and intimidating weapon of brilliant lightning and crashing thunder, she would need to be strong. Sidon rushed after her, jumping back as a bolt seared the ground between them. Nephume didn't flinch. She was **going** to use the Thunderstrike Trident and nothing was going to stop her.

Reaching out, and doing everything in her power to crush her fear, Nephume grabbed hold of the staff of the trident, wrenching it free of the pedistal that held it. It sparked in her hands, the electricity running down to her elbows and making her arms go numb. She was unyeilding and brought the trident up to the ready. It calmed at the movement, small ripples of electricity running down it for a brief moment before it grew still.

Its beautiful frame reflected in her eyes. With a hollow arrow shaped middle prong and two bolt shaped side prongs, one sharp bend in each, it was a stunning thing indeed. It was made of an almost white silver metal and at the bottom a good sized glowing yellow-green orb was trapped within a metal cage made of gently twisting narrow metal bars. It had a conical pyramid point on the very end.

Nephume walked quickly past Sidon, twisting out of the way of his grasp. Normally, she would have no idea how to use the Trident's destructive thunderbolts, but instinct drove her onward with unwavering certainty. Maybe the trident itself was guiding her. Surely if it could choose a combatant then it could also impart knowledge of its use to them.

The little orange Zora made her way to the main entry bridge, where the majority of the monster force was gathered. Link had cleaved his way through a good number of them, but there was a Hinox lumbering across the gap and he had taken decent injuries. His breathing was heavy, a small amount of blood crusted part of his tunic, and his body protested at some of the more flamboyant movements. Still, he had taken out the worst of them, the vicious Lynels, leaving only Bokoblins, Moblins, and the single Hinox behind.

The Zora Guard had retaken their defensive positions at the side bridges once the Lynels were out of the way, quickly dispatching the smaller forces that had tried to flank them. Nephume walked calmly by Link's right side, the warrior stopping to stare at her in surprise and shock.

Quite suddenly, a deafening trumpet split the air and the skies erupted in a heavy rain. Water sloshed over the dam in great waves as a massive form loomed behind it, throwing huge amounts of water with each step. The imposing form of Vah Ruta lumbered into view as it marched its way to the edge of the lake. It stopped to give another trumpet before pumping water at full blast straight into the sky, dousing everything around them.

With a swift swing of her arm Nephume sent bolts of electricity darting across the bridge. The drenched Bokoblins were eliminated in one fell swoop, fried to a crisp. The Moblins managed to survive and continued their charge as though unaffected despite showing clear burns, coming straight for her with roars of fury.

Nephume's eyes glinted with malice as she struck them down with graceful, spinning blows, cutting them to pieces as the trident had willed her. With a bolt from the weapon, she sent the Hinox stumbling backward and set her feet as though preparing to take a blow. She raised the mighty trident high above her head and brought it down in a powerful slash, stopping just above the ground and setting the end of the weapon spinning. Once it started it rapidly gained speed, building up electricity that sparked and shot down its surface, jumping from the lower side spikes and collecting in the hollow of the center point.

Time seemed to drag as the Hinox lumbered ever closer, having recovered from the earlier shock. She could hear people yelling at her, and feel Link's desperate gaze on her back. She let those feelings go, clearing her mind and concentrating on the trident. It was pointed at the ground and her eyes hardened when she saw the tiny flash that told her it was ready to finish this battle.

She pulled the weapon up with a sharp jerk, locking the trident end and causing the electricity built up in it to form into a ball. All at once it released, firing a massive thunderbolt straight forward. It seared a hole in the Hinox's bulbous chest, the beast tumbling backward with a cry, and struck the ground a good distance behind it. Nephume pulled the trident up, digging the pyramid shaped rear point into the stone of the bridge and bracing it with all her weight.

As soon as the bolt hit the ground an electric field rapidly spread out from that point, searing and shocking anything it touched. That was one of the drawbacks of the weapon, and only the trident itself could reabsorb the quickly spreading energy. If the weilder was too weak to stop the field the punishment was a hefty one indeed. The Hinox attempted to get back up, even with the mortal wound, but seized as the electricity reached it.

The electrifying barrier struck the trident full force a second later, and Nephume strained against it, feeling her feet slipping as it pushed her backward. With a furious war screech, she pushed back against it as seconds dragged by like hours. Finally, the barrier gave and dissipated, returning to the orb at the bottom of the trident.

She fell to her knees, gasping and shaking like a leaf. She collapsed onto her side, exhausted and feeling like she could barely breathe, everything slowly going black. Upon waking, she found Sidon's worried face staring down at her. The Thunderstrike Trident was leaning against a nearby railing, sparking gently, and Link was standing a short distance away with his hands resting on his belt.

"Oh, thank Hylia. That was foolish and reckless of you! You nearly got yourself killed!" With a groan, Nephume dismissed Sidon's chastising. "Well, I didn't. And I'm fine."

In truth her whole body ached and was stiff, but she was never going to admit that to him. She hefted herself from the bed Sidon had placed her on for fear that what little electricity left in her body might discharge in the pools the Zoras normally slept in. She reached for the trident immediately but Sidon blocked her path. "I don't think you should touch this weapon again."

The orange Zora frowned in irritation but before she could protest Sidon gave a yelp and jumped to the side, rubbing his back. The trident had lightly shocked him in indignation, leaving an opportunity for Nephume to pick it up while he recovered from the sudden jolt. "Never tell it what to do. And that goes double for me."

She turned on her heel, stopping to speak with Link. He dipped his head as they spoke, allowing them to slowly travel to the top of the Domain to see Dorephan.

"Good to see you're ok."

She nodded. "Me? What about you?."

"I'll be just fine. I've had worse wounds. Any aches?"

Nephume narrowed her eyes at him then glanced back and forth before replying in a hushed tone, "It feels like I've been thrown against the rocks in a set of bad rapids, but don't tell Sidon."

Link gave a small snort of amusement and shook his head. "Ok. I won't, he underestimates you too much already." He winked and gave a quick grin. "I'm impressed, too. You used that trident like it was second nature. Was it all instinct?"

Nephume frowned a bit and shook her head. "Sort of? I think the trident was telling me what I should do. It was like I could see myself doing the moves a few seconds before I did."

The Hylian gained a thoughtful expression as they came to a stop. He bowed to the Zora King and Nephume respectfully approached him, holding the trident out before her. "I've come to return the Thunderstrike Trident. I…apologize for suddenly taking it, but I couldn't just let Link fight those monsters for us all alone!"

Dorephan sat silent for a moment before his expression softened and he gave a small chuckle. "You would dishonor this mighty weapon by returning it? It CHOSE you, Nephume. It is yours to use as you see fit now." Stunned, Nephume blinked and slowly pulled the trident back toward her. She stared down at it, taking in every point and curve of its shiny metal surface. She could finally be a warrior. "Does this mean…?" She looked up at her king hopefully.

He turned his gaze on Link, who looked up at him calmly. "I know we have asked much of you. You have saved our Domain, my dear Mipha's soul, and all of Hyrule…but with your permission, I would like to ask you to train Nephume."

Link's eyes widened a little, but he nodded. "She won't leave my side and I'll teach her everything I know."

"Absolutely not!"

Link looked back over his shoulder at the crimson Zora approaching them. Sidon was clearly fuming despite his attempt at a calm demeanor. "Nephume is not built to be a warrior. She simply cannot handle the strain of training or the rush of battle."

Irritation pricked at Link's nerves. Even after all she had done, braving the desert, saving the entire Domain, Sidon still doubted her. "I'd say she handled it just fine."

Sidon's eyes widned and he fixed Link in a half glare. "She fainted! What if she had missed? What if she hadn't been strong enough to hold back that lightning?"

"She would've been fine if you had swallowed your crippling fear and **trained** her!" Link snapped with a huff. The sudden agression caught the Prince off guard and for a heartbeat he actually looked a little hurt.

"That is not for you to decide!" Sidon's fins flared as he raised his voice to almost a shout, his yellow eyes blazing.

"No, it is for **me** to decide!" Dorephan cut the argument short. He fixed his angry gaze on his son. "I know that you love Nephume. You have always protected her, ever since you were children, but she needs room to grow and experiences to build her life. What kind of life will she lead if she spends her entire existence confined to our Domain living in your shadow?"

Sidon looked down, the heat of shame clearly warming his skin. "I…but…"

Dorephan gave a small sigh but his anger dispersed. "Sidon. Do you think I ever wanted your dear sister to pilot Vah Ruta? Do you think I wanted her to train with a spear or become a Champion?" Sidon shook his head slowly. "You were both more precious to me than I can ever express, especially after your mother passed, but I had to put my fears aside and TRUST you to make your own decisions and have the strength to live. I had to let you go out and experience that wide, dangerous world if that was what you wanted. Nephume now better understands the protectiveness that drives your decisions and her duty to this kingdom and its people. It is your turn to try understanding her need to belong, to know not just this kingdom but all of Hyrule, and **herself**."

Sidon looked up at his father with a sad frown but his father's words calmed the rage in his eyes.

"It's time to let her go, Sidon."

The prince let his sorrowful and worried gaze fall on Nephume. She returned it with stern and calm confidence. Her green eyes were clear and bright, and the longer he stared into them the more at ease he felt. "You…are right."

Nephume's gaze lit up with a start and she blinked rapidly, trying to process what she had just heard. "Link is my dear friend, and I would trust no one else with her safety. There is not another person alive who would be better suited to this task."

Nephume looked up at Link and he looked down at her with bright blue eyes. She handed him the trident and walked over to stand before Sidon. He gave her a hesitant look and without a word she held her arms out toward him. He scooped her up immediately, hugging her tight to his chest. He never wanted the hug to end, but he knew it had to, and returned her gently to the ground.

"I...I love you. Come back to me safe. I…cannot wait to hear all of your tales about the sights you have seen and the things you have experienced on your travels. Be strong, brave, and cautious."

Nephume's eyes sparkled with a new warmth he had never seen, and it made him feel warm and fuzzy inside. "I will. I promise." He nearly melted when she gave him a bright smile that reflected in her eyes and lit up her entire being. She returned to Link's side and took back her trident, waiting patiently for his instructions.


	9. Melodious Whirlwind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was kind of a challenge in that Dolduba is a Goron and yet has a somewhat higher way of speaking, so getting his voice down was difficult.

A day later and the pair were stopped at the Foothill Stable at the base of the Maw of Death Mountain.   
  
"Is this really a good idea?"   
  
Link was putting on the breastplate of a heavy set of armor as they spoke. "Are you saying you don't want to come with?"   
  
"No, of course I do! But is it safe for me?"   
  
He paused to look at her with a raised eyebrow. "About as safe as it is for me. We'll see if the Gorons can make you a set of fireproof armor like this once we get there. For now, you'll need a lot of Fireproof Elixirs."   
  
Nephume's eyes glittered with excitement and then changed tone. "Maybe I should wait here until they can make the armor…"   
  
Link gave a sigh. "Nephume they can't make it without measuring you to get the dimensions right. Is this about Sidon? Because you know I promised him and the King you would be safe, so you will be."   
  
Nephume frowned. "Well, I…sort of. I don't know much about Gorons but I know they're the only ones built to handle that kind of heat."   
  
"Which is exactly why you're going up there. You need to toughen up and that sweltering heat is going to help with that. This is going to be some intense training, probably the hardest you'll do, but once you get used to it everything else will be easier." He paused momentarily to check on Epona. She would be staying at the stable for the duration of their visit so he wanted to be sure he had everything he needed from her saddlebags.   
  
"Besides, learning about the Gorons will do you good as far as being a proper princess goes." His voice was muffled at the end by the odd looking helmet he had just put on. "Here." He handed her a bottle of red liquid and she popped the cork and sniffed at it. It smelled spicy and not all that pleasant.   
  
"Drink up. You'll need a dose four times a day, and that includes one before bed and one in the middle of the night."   
  
Regretfully, she chugged the bottle, gagging as she tasted it and ending with a harsh *kakk!* noise. She shuddered a bit and handed Link the empty bottle.    
  
"Good thing I know how to make these." He replied as the pair started up the path. Nephume almost immediately got distracted by the nearby hot springs and tried her best to convince Link to let her swim for a bit but he refused and remained unshakable on the subject.   
  
After a slightly steep climb, Nephume got to see lava up close for the first time. The heat from it was intense even at a distance but the glow was a little pleasant. They passed the broken remnants of a Guardian, one considerably newer than the soot covered carcasses littering the pathway up to that point.    
  
When she asked, Link told her he had killed it in a glorious battle with all the details. Her eyes glittered with excitement at his tales of battles, no matter how insignificant the enemy might have been. She hung on his every word and at first he thought she was simply caught up in the fantasy of it all until she began attempting the battle moves he was describing. He quickly turned it into a teaching moment, happily giving her instruction on how to balance her weight among other things. She soaked up every bit of advice like an orange sponge.   
  
He watched her for a while as they climbed ever higher. Even in the heat of Death Mountain she was still playful as ever, running ahead at times and stopping to stare with wide eyes at everything around them.   
  
She caught sight of an Eldin Ostrich and cautiously approached. When he realized what was happening, Link tried to stop her. "Nephume, no! If you get too close-!"   
  
His words came too late. The giant bird was spooked by his voice, whirling on them. Upon seeing Nephume it charged and violently tossed her back like a ragdoll. She landed with a loud grunt, flat on her back. Link jogged up to her and knelt to make sure she was ok. "I'm sorry. I should've warned you, Eldin Ostriches charge if you get too close." She waved at him, and stayed down for a while to catch her breath and let the pain fade.   
  
"Maybe I should, um, just stay at your side for a while." With a pitied look and a small chuckle he gave her a push. "Nonsense! Go play now, while you have the chance. I won't be letting you have much fun once we reach Goron City. Besides, now that the monsters have thinned out that ostrich is probably the most dangerous thing you'll find along the path."   
  
She gave him a curious look, but then gave a happy trill and darted off. She caught a lizard at one point before letting it go, played with some butterflies, scrabbled over the rocks, before the sun had begun to set. Descending from Zora's Domain and climbing the mountain had taken them all day. As the city came into view a fierce wind began to whip around them, bringing the din of battle. The gale was so harsh it pushed Nephume back, forcing Link to catch her.   
  
"Where is this wind coming from?!" Nephume yelled over the whistling. "Is this normal?!"   
  
She could barely hear Link's response. "Not in the slightest! I have no idea what's going on but I don't like it!"   
  
As if on cue, the wind suddenly dropped and everything was calm once more. Confused and alarmed, the pair bolted up the path as fast as they could, being cautiously stopped by a guard as they approached the city.   
  
Link took the lead. "What was all that? Did something happen?"   
  


* * *

  
The Hurricane Harp was…quite frankly an odd weapon and certainly not normally something one would associate with a tough, grounded race like the Gorons.   
  
But then, Dolduba was not like the other Gorons. He looked like them, yes, but he didn't act like them. Gorons were gruff, simple people. Dolduba was much like Yunobo, with excellent grammar and a high way of speaking that conveyed his intelligence. He was strong, but there were others who were stronger, and strength wasn't something vital to him. Instead, he spent his free time composing melodies when he wasn't working in the mines.   
  
It was hard work, but there was nothing more he could do. It was work or starve. Gorons were hospitable, happy people who welcomed all but they certainly weren't going to put up with a deadbeat. Still, his mind often wandered and he would sometimes stop in the middle of his work to jot down a few notes or part of a new song in a small journal he carried around with him. It was made not of paper, but slim slabs of metal. Paper, after all, would burn in the heat of a volcano.   
  
The boss often scolded him for slacking off or being lazy, but he just couldn't help it. This was what he did, and they would all be grateful for it.   
  
The day started off like any other. Gorons got up. Gorons had breakfast. Gorons went to work. And work Dolduba did, for the entire day. Late in the evening, he sat down by the glow of lava to finish his latest masterpiece.   
  
It was a beautiful song, inspired by the winds of Hyrule, rushing ever on. They were fierce and sharp, gentle and soft, flowing like water around all things and under the delicate wings of birds and butterflies. The song, much like the wind, went from slow and quiet to loud and boisterous and back again, creating a sound that brought to mind a summer storm.   
  
Shouting interrupted his musical practice and he stepped from his home, curious. Oddly, the sky in the distance was brightly lit as if the sun were rising. Squinting, the sight became somewhat horrifying. Thousands of Fire Keese, their wings burning brightly, had taken to the skies and were advancing toward the village at full speed like a cloud of scorching death. They were accompanied by a few dozen Lizalfos skittering across the rocks to loose a volley of arrows down on the Goron City.   
  
Dolduba caught sight of Yunobo, cowering beneath the protective shield of his ancestor, the last Champion, Daruk. He made his way quickly over to him, stumbling and gritting his teeth as an arrow glanced off his rocky back.   
  
"Yunobo! Brother!"   
  
The young Goron turned toward him, ducking instinctively as another arrow shot past them. "You can't just stand here and do nothing! We have to find a way to stop these monsters! You're Daruk's descendant, you've got to know SOMEthing! Are there any weapons we could use to attack these flying nuisances?!"   
  
Yunobo stuttered in response. "U-uh...u-um." Dolduba clapped a hand down on his back. "Spit it out, brother! No time to be shy!" They both ducked another arrow and Yunobo gave a shout. "There was supposedly a great weapon gifted to us by Hylia, but nobody knows where it is!" Dolduba gave an irritated grunt.   
  
"Some help that is." His fist shot up, thumping a Keese straight out of the sky as it dive bombed him. “Perhaps we’ll have to deal with them the old fashioned way with some proud Goron might!”

  
A sudden rush of air caught his attention and instinct told him to follow the direction it was coming from. He left the village behind, clambering up over the rocks toward an isolated part of the mountain were a Talus used to reside before the Champion Link slayed it.   
  
The mountainside was glowing pale green and the waterfall of lava had split around a large cave opening jutting out from the rock. Fierce gusts of air were rushing out of the entrance and whipping around the area, cooling parts of the molten stone. With some effort, Dolduba took a running leap and flung himself across the gap, narrowly avoiding falling from the edge where he landed.   
  
He slowly approached the cave, peeking around the side just in case something bad lingered within. His eyes widened, reflecting the gentle green light pouring from a large green object sitting in a small pedestal in the center. It was a hand held harp, sturdy but light, with small glowing green stones holding the strings. A large green square cut gem was sticking out of the bottom, at the exact middle point of the metal base of the instrument.   
  
Almost in a trance, the Goron approached the harp and lifted it. It fit in his hands perfectly, like it had been made for him. The rush of air stopped abruptly and he blinked, plucking a string gently. A harsh gust blasted into the rock before him, leaving behind a small pile of sand on the floor. A grin spread across his face and he ran from the cave, diving over rocks and making his way back to the Goron City as fast as his little legs would take him.   
  
He stood at the highest point in the city, commanding the attention of everything around him. He gripped the square gem, pulling it down. It slid halfway out of its previous position and locked into place, stopped by grooves in the metal. The strings of the harp lit up with a brilliant glow that spread across the whole of the instrument. Dolduba plucked a few strings, playing the notes of his newest song, one that he felt he urgently had needed to finish that day.   
  
The harp responded in kind, the notes resonating in the still air, which built and rose to a great and thundering whirlwind around him. It sucked up Keese and ripped Lizalfos from the stone they desperately clung to until they were torn to utter shreds, leaving nothing behind but a gentle breeze.   
  
The musical warrior clutched at his chest with a gasp and fell, tumbling down the rocky cliff and landing with a thud on the ground below. His face was twisted in fear and he flailed as he tried desperately to fill his lungs with air. The harp had created a dead space around him, devoid of oxygen. His eyes began to flutter closed and everything spun and went dark. After what felt like days he sucked in a massive breath and began to cough hard.   
  
Gorons had surrounded him, unsure of what to do. They could only get so close before the lack of air affected them too, but once Dolduba began breathing again they rushed to his aid. The Hurricane Harp had the tell tale drawback of a divine weapon. For its most powerful capabilities, it harnessed the air around the person playing it, temporarily suffocating them.   
  
Dolduba awoke inside his home, confused and weary. Bright blue caught his eyes and he turned, staring up at Link blankly.   
  
"Good to see you're awake."   
  
Something odd and orange entered his view and large green eyes blinked back at him. "We heard what happened when we got here. Are you ok?" He frowned at the tiny creature. The voice was female, but he had never seen anything like her before. She looked a lot like a walking fish.   
  
"What are you?"   
  
For a moment he wasn't sure if he had actually spoken, but her response confirmed he had.   
  
"I'm a Zora."   
  
Zora. Yes, that would make sense. He had heard of them before. Water people that could scale mighty falls. Funny, he had never imagined they would look like fish for some reason. Still, she didn't even know him but was still concerned for his well being.   
  
_ 'Zora must be nice people.' _   
  
Indeed. Nice people, like the Gorons. Caring about people they had never even met. Or maybe it was just her. Either way, he was grateful.   
  


* * *

 

  
"Let him rest, Nephume."   
  
She turned as Link placed a hand on her shoulder. "Right. We'll be back to visit you tomorrow." She gave a bright smile before following Link out. A group of Gorons was clustered around the entrance to Dolduba's house, worry clear.   
  
"How is he?" A large, gruff looking old Goron asked.    
  
Link dipped his head to the proud man and responded. "I think he'll be fine. He's just tired. Give him some rest and keep an eye on him until tomorrow."   
  
Link turned toward the Zora behind him. "Now that we've gotten this sorted, time for your first bit of training."   
  
Her eyes widened like saucers. "Right now? At night?" The grin he gave unnerved her.   
  
"No better time than the present. I told you this would be tough. Better get used to sporadic sleeping habits. By the time I'm done with you your senses will be sharper than any blade and you'll be able to rest anywhere at any time."


	10. Training

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nephume undergoes Death Mountain training.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to address some of the stuff Link had Nephume do to train and set things up for some locale changes in the future that I'm excited for.
> 
> Admittedly, though, this chapter is...basically necessary filler. ^^'

She was right about his grin. Her throat burned and every muscle screamed in protest. The palms of her hands were covered in scrapes and she gritted her teeth as her claws dug into the rock.

"Why exactly am I doing this?"

Link's voice came from above and she could see him looming over the edge from a flat spot.

"Ask again when you reach the top!"

With a huff, she managed to drag herself over the edge, only to find him even higher up, leaning on a metal sign.

"There, _*huff*_ I made _*huff*_ it."

He chuckled. "Come on. You're almost there. A couple more steps won't kill you."

She pulled herself to her feet. Her legs were shaking. As she got closer she could see the words on the sign.

' _100 Famous Mountains of Hyrule - #1 Death Mountain'_

"WHY exactly am I doing this?" She asked again. Behind her, the sky was beginning to turn milky with the coming dawn.

"Well, for a start, this will help you build muscletone. But, there's also that." He tipped his head and she turned around to be greeted by a widespread view of the ocean, the sun glinting off it as it cleared the horizon. The dark waves were lit with a glittering sun trail that led straight to shore like a path of burning stepping stones. Her heart caught in her throat for a moment. She would never have seen such a sight from her home, not with Sidon hovering over her.

"This is one of the highest points in Hyrule. If you want to see the kingdom, this is an excellent way to do so."

She looked over her shoulder at him and slowly dragged herself to his side. It was true. To her left was Upland Zorana and the Lanayru province, her home. To her right, a fog bound forest with the top of a very tall pink tree poking through the mists. And straight ahead…Hyrule Castle and it's surrounding Castle Town, along with the Rito Village and Hebra mountains far in the distance. She could even see the craggy cliffs surrounding the Gerudo desert. Behind her was Akala and the vast Hyrule Great Sea. Slowly, the sun made it's way ever upward, bathing more of the great land in golden light.

"This is Hyrule, our home."

Nephume turned to him, eyes wide in a stare and mouth agape. There was so much, so much to be seen, to be experienced. For the first time, she was truly faced with the vastness of her world. Then, in her empty awestruck gaze, something new sparked. A thought even more awe inspiring than the wide expanse of their kingdom. The idea that Link had traveled it in its entirety. His boots had touched soil from one end of the kingdom to the other in every direction. He had traversed all of this great land.

_'What a feat.'_

She blinked, suddenly humbled by his presence. Here was not only a great warrior, but a traveler, an adventurer who had sought out every hidden detail and secret across Hyrule. To be gifted with such a teacher, and one who cared for her instead of seeing her as a bothersome favor to another kingdom, she was grateful and lucky.

"Thank you."

Wisdom and happiness glowed in his blue eyes and he smiled and nodded at her before his face took on a cheekier expression. "Don't thank me yet, you still have to get back down."

It was late morning by the time the pair trudged back into Goron City. Link didn't let up, and immediately threw Nephume's next training exercise at her, which was lifting large rocks and stacking them in a pile. In mid afternoon she took another dose of Elixir and spent the evening running laps around the city.

Link let her sleep for a few hours before she was climbing the volcano again. Then it was back to sleep for about 20 minutes before another Elixir dose and some serious training.

"Remember, you have to watch- _ngh_ -carefully." The Hylian let out a grunt as he caught a blade that had rapidly shot toward them. He and Nephume were facing down a Rock Octorok, which was currently chewing on another rusty weapon. The pair had a pile of them nearby that they were steadily throwing to the beast. It was a win, win. The weapons were restored for use later and Nephume got some good reflex training. Link made sure to stick by her side in case she moved too slowly.

The exercise was excellent for its purpose, but dangerous, and the last thing he wanted was for her to get hacked to bits. Her bracers, at least, protected her hands as well as her arms. She readied herself as the Octorok prepared to launch the newly refurbished sword. Catching the weapon required precise reflexes and timing. She hissed and shook her hand as the blade was sent careening straight at her. It struck her protected palm as she tried and failed to properly snatch it, leaving a painful stinging sensation and clattering across the ground behind her.

"By the **Godesses** , that hurt!"

Link hurled another rusty sword at the Octorok as it began vacuuming in nearby objects.

"Still have all your fingers?"

"Yeah."

"Good, then get ready."

They both crouched as the beast's teeth crunched against the metal. A moment later, it spewed the weapon back out again. Nephume's green eyes narrowed and she jumped to the side, extending her arm. The hilt of the blade struck her hand and she almost dropped it. The sword was heavier than she expected and rebounded a little. Still, she managed to hang onto it, and stabbed it into the ground a short distance away.

"Very good. Now, can you do it again?"

The training continued in this manner until the pair ran out of weaponry, at which point a new challenge began. Rock Octoroks were good for more than just chewing the rust off things. Nephume jumped from one side to the other and then rolled forward as she dodged the incoming small boulders it fired at them. When he was satisfied that she had done enough, he had her slay the beast with her trident and then help him carry the weapons back down to Goron City where the local merchant planned to sell them to travelers.

Their next stop was to check in on Dolduba. He was up and about when they entered, greeting the pair warmly.

"Welcome, brothers! Do make yourselves at home."

Link remained standing as Nephume found the closest object to sit on. The Hylian squared himself up before asking his question. "Dolduba, if I may ask, the harp, where did it come from?"

The Goron turned toward him, pausing in his jotting down of notes. He was already starting a new melody. The harp's curving green form sat delicately on the table nearby.

"From a cave near the old Talus stomping ground. Based on what it did, I can only assume it was the weapon gifted to us by Hylia that Yunobo spoke of."

Link took a breath in preparation to continue before a small snort caught his attention. He glanced toward Nephume before doing a double take and staring at her. She had fallen asleep in the matter of minutes they had been there, nearly waking herself up as her head lolled to the side, and a smirk crossed his face. His tone turned contemplative as he responded.

"It's odd that the weapon would appear now, especially since the Divine Beasts seem to be choosing new Champions on their own accord."

The Goron glanced at him in surprise. "Are they now? I haven't heard of Rudania doing such a thing."

Link nodded. "Nabooris has yet to choose as well. Medoh was first to decide and Ruta chose Nephume, here. Perhaps you and Yunobo should take a trip up there to greet Rudania? I know he's Daruk's kin, and better to travel together than alone."

The Goron looked longingly at his notebook before giving a sharp nod. "An excellent idea. It might be important for Rudania to choose a new Champion as soon as possible. There's no telling what dangers we might face in the future."

With a curt nod of agreement the Hylian woke his pupil and pulled her outside to continue training. It was much more lax this time, consisting of mostly hiking. He seemed to make her work in ups and downs, going from high intensity training to easier exercises and back again.

Her short rest times left her tired and allowed soreness to creep into her frame, but her body was slowly adjusting and small curves of muscle began to show beneath her orange and white skin.

"Ok, today we'll-" Link began and then cut off when he saw the familiar royal crest of Hyrule emblazoned on the chest of a man now approaching them. He bowed respectfully to Link before digging in his satchel.

"A letter from the Queen, Captain Link."

He handed the Hylian warrior an envelope with Zelda's wax seal on it in bright red. It was stained pink and smelled of Fireproof Elixers. She had drenched the page in the stuff. Confused, he opened it and quickly scanned the page. The words were a little smudged from the heatproofing.

' _Captain Link,_

_Robbie has sent word that he has some research he would like to show me. As you are quite close to Akala, I would like to request you pick it up for me before returning._

_Safe travels,_  
_Princess Zelda'_

He frowned a little at her overly proper tone. He had really upset her. Still, it couldn't be helped. It wasn't as though he could simply stop having feelings and so he dismissed the small knot in his stomach and nodded gratefully to the messenger, dismissing him and turning to Nephume.

"It looks like we'll be heading to Akala instead of the castle. You've built up enough muscle now that we can leave without you missing out on any vital training."


	11. Echoes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for taking so long on this Chapter. I recently moved and now have to move again so things are a little hectic. 
> 
> I do love fleshing out the Protector/Mentor relationship between Link and Nephume, though, so I took advantage of this chapter to do that a little. That said, the action is starting to pick up again! Enjoy!

Epona's hooves clicked rhythmically on the old cobbled path, barely visible through the dirt and gravel. The sky was a deep gray, murky and full of thunderheads. Still, the breeze that was blowing softly through was warm enough and carried the smell of the sea.  
  
As Link and Nephume rounded the cliffs at the top of the hill the impressive and still imposing form of a ruined fortress rose up to greet them, a Sheikah Tower glowing proud blue at the very top. The air there was heavy, even at a distance, and the ramparts seemed to loom over them.  
  
"What is that?" Nephume whispered, twitching at the volume of her own voice, despite it being so quiet.  
  
"That…is the Akkala Citadel. It was Hyrule's last stronghold against Ganon's darkness."  
  
The closer they got, the more eerie the space became, and by the time they were crossing the Akkala Span bridge the Zora was two steps away from jumping out of her skin. Amber trees surrounded the fort, scattering their leaves in a thick blanket across the ground.  
  
Link pulled Epona to a stop at the end of the broken bridge that once connected the Citadel to the main road. He knelt to touch the stones for a moment.  
  
"The Royal Hyrulean Army made their last stand here. They blew this bridge in the vain hope of stopping the corrupted Guardians from crossing to the Citadel."  
  
Nephume's eyes widened. "They blew the bridge?! How?!" Her voice was still a harsh whisper, unsettled by breaking the silence around them.  
  
Link called her over to him and pointed at the ramparts. "Look carefully. See, there?" She could just make out four silhouettes against the gray stone. Given the distance, they must have been fairly large to be seen from so far away.  
  
The Zora tilted her head. "What are they?"  
  
"Cannons. The most powerful weapons in Hyrule. The Akkala Citadel had three sets of them, four cannons in each set. They weren't placed to fight an enemy from INSIDE the kingdom, but to repel enemies from the sea. They had to be repositioned before firing. There was barely time to fire any shots before the armies and their families were overwhelmed."  
  
To add atmosphere to his words, the walls were lined with the broken and rusted bodies of several Guardians, the few that the Hylians had managed to stop. One of them was mere feet away, its legs mostly curled beneath it. Nephume slowly approached the massive machine, heart racing. Tentatively, she reached out and placed her fingers against the strange surface. It was some kind of metal, a little crusty with decay, and cold to the touch. A harsh shiver shuddered through her body and she jumped as a big raindrop landed on her shoulder.  
  
With a snort, Epona retreated under a nearby tree and the pair moved to join her. Once the rain began it absolutely poured, coming down in heavy drops and drenching everything around them. Nephume sat leaning against Link's shoulder, huddled in the blanket from Epona's saddlebags, staring up at the Citadel. It was even more unnerving now that it was slicked with rain and she could practically hear the din of battle echoing off the stone. A flash of lightning lit the building in a foreboding manner and the deafening crack of thunder rattled off the dripping fortress walls.  
  
_Guardians swarmed over the battlements and into the fortress, lazer fire rocking the building with explosions. It was utter chaos. They attacked from both sides, the front moving across the bridge and the left through the Parade Grounds. Stones fell crashing to the earth with the boom of cannon fire as the bridge was destroyed, and still the vicious machines kept coming. It was as though there was no end to them. Many lay broken and defeated, holes blasted in them or swords buried in the gaps between their heads and bodies. The commanding officer tried his best to keep his paultry forces organized and functioning but he had little true leadership experience. Few enemies attacked from the sea._ _  
_ _  
_ _The screams of officers and innocents intermingled in a horrible chorus of terror and devastation as the Sheikah robots mercilessly hunted down anything that moved. The commander ordered his small group to make their way further up the fortress, to the highest point. The best, and only, place to make a desperate final stand. The rhythmic clunking and thudding of the Guardians' heavy steps echoed all around them becoming almost defeaning. A lazer blast tore open one side of their meager cover, ending a few officers then and there. With a battle cry, the commander and his four remaining officers charged valiantly into battle._ _  
_ _  
_ _He was the last to meet his end, flung from the top of the Citadel by a Guardian's leg in a most unglorious fashion. And then, everything was silent save for the whirring gears of the patrolling malice laced machinations._  
  
"The battle here was short and brutal. Hyrule's army wasn't equipped to handle malicious mechanical monsters. The nearby stable hands, descendants of what few survivors there were, told the tale quite well." The wind kicked up at that moment, blowing the rain and leaves in a brief torrent.  
  
Nephume flinched, and looked first up at him and then the Citadel itself, shivering harshly. "I could only imagine what it was like."  
  
"I can tell you what it was like, in a way."  
  
She looked up at him, coming to the realization that he was talking of his many fights against Guardians in the past.  
  
He gave her a side glance before continuing.  
  
_His heart was racing, thundering almost painfully in his chest. His throat and lungs burned as he leaned against the crumbling stone walls of a long decimated Garrison building. He could hear his own breathing, raspy and labored, almost too loud._ _  
_ _  
_ _A shadow passed into his vision and lumbering, heavy foot falls echoed off the stone, getting ever louder by the second. The ground began to shake with the weight and he tensed, readying for the unavoidable fight. And then…nothing._ _  
_ _  
_ _He could faintly hear the sounds of turning gears and components, the light grating sound as the head swiveled to and fro. Without warning the monstrous automaton came clambering over the Garrison walls, landing with a crash before him. In this position, he had nowhere to run. One leg blocked off escape on each side, flattening him against the stones._ _  
_ _  
_ _His breath caught in his throat as he tried to remain as still as possible, watching the head swivel from side to side. Suddenly, it snapped around with force, the single eye narrowing as it fired a targeting beam and charged up for a blast. Its whole surface glowed a bright and wretched magenta, reflecting off each smooth plate and intricately curving piece of molding._ _  
_ _  
_ _Time seemed to slow as light sparked from the eye socket and then a lazer, shining brilliant blue, shot forward with devastating strength. It bathed every nearby surface in eerie cerulean, reflecting in Link's wide eyes and off the edges of the Master Sword and Hylian shield._ _  
_ _  
_ _With a well timed swing he bounced the lazer off the shield and right back at the beastly contraption. The force sent vibrations through his very bones all the way to his shoulder and wrenched his arm back painfully. The Guardian let out a harsh electronic screech and staggered back before smashing its legs at him in an attempt to crush the life out of his body. He rolled to the side, ignoring the screams of protest in his arm, making a strong upward slash and cleaving one of its legs cleanly off._ _  
_ _  
_ _It flailed and screeched, turning wildly in circles as it tried to target the Hylian pest running around it, sparks flying from the wound. He slashed another leg off and the machine became increasingly furious, firing lazers wildly with little regard for direction in a desperate attempt to protect itself. Slowly, he removed each limb until it was helplessly immobile and made his final blow. He plunged the Master Sword into its large magenta eye and it gave a final screech of despair before exploding, scattering shrapnel in all directions._ _  
_ _  
_ _They bounced harmlessly off Link's shield with a great many loud clangs as he huddled behind it. When it was over, he plopped down in exhaustion and thanked the Goddesses for his victory._  
  
When he finished, Nephume pulled the blanket tighter around her to try to ease the chill seeping into her frame to little avail. For whatever reason she simply couldn't shake the feeling that something awful was lurking within the Citadel, watching…waiting. The storm didn't let up, but instead became increasingly worse, forcing them to make a decision.  
  
Take shelter in the Citadel, or try and brave the road to the stable and hope they didn't get lost in the driving rain or dragged into an ambush by opportunistic monsters or bandits. Nephume was harshly opposed to staying in the Citadel, but in the end she had no choice but to admit it was likely the safer option and begrudgingly followed Link inside. The pair (and Epona) were forced to climb from the bottom up until they reached the grand sets of stairs winding their way upward through different parts of the crumbling edifice.  
  
While a large part of the structure had completely given in to the harshness of time and the battle, there was a good portion still intact, consisting of a few rooms and a large connecting hallway. There was no lighting to speak of, though the occasional flash of lightning lit the spaces brightly for a few seconds at a time.  
  
The wind howled through the corridor, making the Zora shiver. She yelped in surprise when everything suddenly illuminated as Link appeared carrying a now lit torch he had found in one of the rooms.  
  
"Don't just stand out there in the wind. Come on." His tone rose slightly at the end as he subtly tried to make her feel a little better. He wedged the torch into one of the few metal holders still anchored to the wall and dug in his pack. Nephume yelped again when she heard a sudden snort behind her, whirling to come face to face with Epona's soft black nose.  
  
The mare's ears were flat, hidden among her forelock, and her dark eyes were watching the door carefully. She nuzzled Nephume and received a few gentle pets in return. Link handed his companion a half a roll of bread and the pair ate in silence. A flash of lightning shone through the window and the sudden deafening crash of thunder made the Zora jump violently.  
  
This continued as the pair tried to rest, with Nephume cringing violently at every boom, making a loud shuffling sound as she did so. Eventually, Link gave a loud sigh and sat up.  
  
"Nephume." His exasperation was audible and when she slowly got up to throw him a guilty look she could see the irritation in his face. His expression softened when he saw how pale she was and the spark of fear shining in her eyes.  
  
"Everything is fine. You don't have anything to be afraid of. This place is completely abandoned, so get some rest."  
  
She curled up in her blanket and did her best to ignore the anxiety in the pit of her stomach but the feeling kept building the longer she lay there. Link on the other hand was finally on the edges of sleep, the sound of the rain and storm tugging him toward unconsciousness. He flinched sharply as he felt something cool press against his back and went rigid. After a few tense moments he hazarded a glance over his shoulder to catch sight of something orange.  
  
_Nephume._  
  
He let out a deep breath and relaxed, settling back down. The little amber Zora had her back pressed firmly against his and was curled up tightly in her blanket. She felt infinitely better knowing he was on the other side of her and her back wasn't exposed, and the warmth seeping through the blanket made her drowsy. She still had a horrible feeling of dread, but having Link so close lessened the impact.  
  
She wasn't used to sleeping alone. Zoras slept in communal pools beneath the throne chamber, and during her time in Gerudo Town the town guards were a mere stone's throw away. Even at Hyrule Castle the only reason she had been able to sleep at all was because the bed was so comfortable and she could hear the guards' armored footsteps as they kept a timely patrol of the halls.  
  
Being all the way across the room from Link with the current atmosphere terrified her to no end. To her, still unsure of herself and having no real experience outside the Domain, he was safe. He was a protector. He was her shield.  
  
She mentally scolded herself.  
  
_Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. You aren't a fry anymore, yet here you are clinging to him like a helpless child because you've gotten in your own head. Going to have to sleep on your own. Going to have to learn to defend yourself and your people. Quit being a coward and buck up._ _  
_ _  
_ _Not now though…not tonight. Next time I'll be brave. I'll sleep all by myself and I won't be afraid of thunder and empty halls._  
  
Her mental battle over, tiredness clung to her limbs and she gave in to sleep. It was tumultuous and scary, wracked with horrible nightmares and terrifying creatures chasing her about.  
  
She was pulled suddenly and groggily from her roiling dreams by Epona's frantic whinnying, borderline screeching, honestly.  
  
The horse's eyes were wide and as Nephume began to process what she was seeing her stomach dropped at the sickening _schlop_ sound echoing in the room.  
  
A large mass of swirling purple and black goop was blocking the door. One giant yellow eye, glowing brightly in the dim space, fixed her with its slitted pupil. She gave a terrified screech and rapidly flailed behind her, expecting to wake Link only to find he wasn't there.  
  
"Nephu-!"  
  
Horror turned her veins to ice as she spotted him, flailing helplessly in the vile glop, barely able to pull his head free every few seconds to gulp air.  
  
"The-!"  
  
He struggled viciously to tear the front half of his body free for a few precious moments.  
  
" **SWORD!** " He gasped, trying to pull his legs free only to be pulled back slowly.  
  
Nephume turned wildly, trying to find the Master Sword. She hissed when she kicked Link's blanket and her foot collided with something solid. She ripped the cloth away to find the blade, picking it up and tossing it at the Hylian. He scrambled toward it, hands scrabbling against the stone. He had just barely managed to snatch it before being sucked completely in, leaving Nephume to panic as a large mouth bubbled up from the mass and began spitting reanimated monster skulls with a throaty growl.


End file.
